Club Football

CLUBFOOTBALL COVID-19 SPECIAL

www.clubfootball.org.uk

Let’s kick COVID-19 out of the park Inspiring stories and best advice

Contents

club mirror AT THE HEART OF THE COMMUNITY

COVID-19 SPECIAL

NEWS, VIEWS, CLUB LIFE AND LEGISLATION

15

06 News News, views and latest advice.

08 Spreading the word – whazzup?

Who’s been up to what and why? Club Mirror takes a whirlwind tour of clubs in the fastest way possible – by social media.

11 News Special Cask Marque’s guide to keeping bar and cellar equipment in optimum condition when the club is shut.

15 Volunteers – Part 1 Engaging, sustaining and valuing your volunteers is essential during these trying times to secure their continued, both now and for the future.

20 Volunteers – Part 2 A practical list on how to recruit new blood, helping the club to maintain its pivotal role at the heart of the community.

28

AWARDS – CALL FOR ENTRIES 13 Football – Unsung Heroes Awards Unung Heroes to the fore! Do you know someone who deserves to be recognised?

21 Designs on your club From new builds to complete refurbishments, award winning clubs share their success stories.

54 Hospitality Social Media Awards

Which will become the hottest new trends?

Calling all tweeters and facebook fanastics – this one’s for you.

36 Industry interview

56 Clubhouse Awards

Five minutes with Bob Williams, CEO of the Golf Club Managers Association.

Golf clubs at the ready – it’s time to shine.

35 Drinks trend predictions

HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

39 Next generation appeal Boosting membership and pulling in younger audiences will become ever more important. Enter ‘competitive socialising’.

28 HQ – COVID-19 Special

From Aunt Sally to Knurr & Spell. Enjoy!

• Home deliveries of food and alcohol.

• Protecting and caring for the vulnerable.

• The NHS Guide to handwashing.

• Social Distancing – the facts.

• Keeping calm in a crisis.

41 Beer mats

33 HQ Building the Business

So much more than just drip catchers. A historical tour of the humble beer mat.

Is now the time to examine the club’s operations to make sure it’s in top condition come reopening?

40 Traditional club games

42 Beer advertising Did you roll out the barrel? Or maybe you followed the bear? Read on for a taste of all-our-yesterdays.

45 The almost lost art of coopering Snapshot of a proud tradition.

Time to sing their praises – let’s get this party started!

58

ASK THE EXPERTS 49 Club Insure partners charity Club Insure announces its aim to raise £5.5m for Prostate Cancer.

51 Saving water

Spicing it up with Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer.

Heineken UK on the reduction of waste, saving an estimated £819 per outlet.

62 It’s Classified

52 Keeping it fresh

Showcasing suppliers and services.

How to avoid an outdated web site.

46 Club Kitchen

58 Club Act of the Year

CLUB MIRROR 3

LEADER

Contributors

Just because we’re further apart, doesn’t mean we aren’t close together Every month we take stock of the world around us and how it affects clubs, both positively and negatively. This month – guess what! – it’s somewhat different.

No prizes for guessing why!

At 52-years old Club Mirror is here, and always has been here, to support clubland. Never has this been more important to us, as we now try to play our part – however small – in trying to do what we have always tried to do; entertain, help, stimulate and advise.

The world has changed, clubland has changed but our collective focus remains the same – to keep our local community safe, well and engaged as much as possible. This is, of course, where clubs will continue to shine. From home deliveries and friendly calls to the lonely, through to Skyping, running virtual events and live streaming of club entertainment (unattended though they may be), clubs are proving as inventive as ever when it comes to reaching out to their communities.

We’re already following suit on www.clubmirror.com and we’d love to hear from you with ideas on how you’re keeping yourselves and your communities safe and sane during this difficult time. We’ll be posting and mailing weekly entertainment – from crosswords to quizzes and from fascinating facts to sporting moments – contiunuing to build the online community and meeting up more often. Join up, join in!

On the work front, we’ll be updating our website (and sister websites) daily with the latest information and links. We’ll be uploading the most recent advice on keeping yourself, your family and the vulnerable in the community safe, all to be shared via social media.

We remain as always, here for you. Stay safe and stay in touch via all the usual channels. That’s caroline@clubmirror.com, www.clubmirror.com, www.twitter.com/clubmirrormag, www.facebook.com/clubmirroruk, and (how traditional!) by telephone on 01753 272022.

Caroline Scoular Editor, Club Mirror P.S. The information in this issue is correct at time of going to press. However, as information regarding COVID-19 is changing daily, please visit www.clubmirror.com for up-to-date information and official sources

Chris Colverd

Toby Evans

Sean Ferris

Karen Foreman

David Foster

Phil Gray

Jonathan Hardy

David Lucas

Justin O’Regan

Victoria Romero-Trigo

Doug Rubashow

Jill Slingsby

Editor Caroline Scoular Design David Foster Events Jill Slingsby, Karen Foreman, Guy Brennan Display Advertising Margaret Doherty Sales and Marketing Manager Leigh-Ann Ogilvie Circulation Jon Hardy Accounts Andrew Soles Publishing Director Sean Ferris

Club Mirror is published by Alchemy Contract Publishing Ltd, Gainsborough House, 59/60 Thames Street, Windsor SW4 1TX. Tel: 01753 272022. Fax: 01753 272 021 Email: caroline@clubmirror.com; sean@clubmirror.com; leigh-ann@alchemymedia.co.uk; info@clubmirror.com

ACP Gainsborough House 59/60 Thames Street Windsor Berkshire SL4 1TX UK t. +44 (0)1753 272022 f. +44 (0)1753 272021 e.info@alchemycontractpublishing.co.uk www.alchemycontractpublishing.co.uk The views expressed in this journal are not necessarily those of the publisher. Club Mirror does not verify the claims made by advertisers regarding their products.

CLUB MIRROR 5

CLUB NEWS

WANT MORE INFORMATION? For more in-depth information on any news stories in this issue use this QR code or visit www.clubmirror.com

THE NHS GUIDE TO STAYING SAFE Handwashing is one of the best ways to protect yourself, your team and members from getting sick. (More advice can be found in this month’s HQ, pages 28-32).

You can help yourself and everyone else stay healthy by washing your hands often, especially during these key times when you are likely to get and spread germs: • Before, during, and after preparing food • Before eating food • Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea • Before and after treating a cut or wound • After using the toilet • After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing • After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste • After handling pet food or pet treats • After touching garbage Full details can be found at www.clubmirror.com/coronavirus or by using the QR Code below.

So proud of clubs – spreading the kindness and support With the spread of COVID-19 escalating, clubs are stepping up to the mark irrespective of closures, proving themselves a caring hub for information and action. And that’s why Club Mirror is Proud of Clubs. Here are just two heartwarming and practical examples from our sports club community.

Bush Hill Park Golf Club Spreading only kindness – Let’s keep in touch!

As a golf club we can all pull together to help and look out for each other and we would like to hear from you if you are willing to help isolated fellow Club members, either with a friendly call, to pick up urgent supplies or to help with shopping etc. Additionally, if you are isolated through health concerns or symptoms and would like some assistance please let us know and we will endeavour to assist by putting you in touch with a member in your area.

Food to Go – We have a range of items available and we can take telephone orders and serve from the window at the rear of the Clubhouse.

purchase your basic day to day items. Subject to response from members volunteering we may also be able to deliver to self-isolated or vulnerable members. We are continuing to follow and monitor official guidance from the UK Government and Public Health England carefully. It is of vital importance for us to be in a position to ensure that any and all procedures are in place to support the health and well-being of our members and staff.

Ordering basic groceries through our suppliers – We have the facility for members to order basic groceries and given the lack of supplies in shops and the increased risk of infection at the busy supermarkets, this may be a safer way

South Shields FC You've supported us...now it's time for us to support you too during this uncertain time.We're looking to help foodbanks in South Tyneside meet the demand for deliveries and collections over the coming

Date for the diary with Marston’s virtual local Club Awards sponsor Marston’s has teamed up with a host of other brewery friends at everyone's favourite new virtual local – The Armchair Arms.

Every Wednesday at 7pm from the comfort of your own home – or wherever you and you members may be – the clubsupporting brewer will be bringing you a tasting session and Q&A with a guest Brewer.

The sessions start on Wednesday, March 25 with Jon Tillson, brewer of the legendary Hobgoblin Beer We’ll keep you posted on the regular sessions. Enjoy! #WednesdayNightSorted

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weeks. Please get in touch with us if we can assist in some way; please email info@southshieldsfc.co.uk, call 0191 454 7800 or drop us a message directly on social media.

SHARING IS CARING How is your club tackling Covid-19 head on in the local community? Are you keeping kitchens running for home deliveries and takeaways? Are you able to offer a drivethrough? What about alcohol sales? Are you acting as a hub for community action?

Share your best advice with the club community .

Together we are stronger. Send your insights to info@clubmirror.com.

Covoid-19: calls to action and information sources With the Government’s daily briefings now well underway, keeping up with the latest advice on Covoid-19 is essential.

Club Mirror is committed to keeping you up to date via online resources which will continue to offer the most up-to-theminute advice on both the club - for example offering take outs/home deliveries - as well as on keeping yourselves, your families, memebers and communities safe.

These aill be available at www. clubmirror.com/coronavirus or by using the QR code to the right.

Visit the site for : - News latest - Government advice sources - Legal advice - Takeaway/home delivery advice - Insurance advice - Staying safe - Self-isolating - Looking after the vulnerable - Importance of handwashing and how to do it the NHS way.

Club Awards continue All for charity to recognise UK clubs

Suppor ted

by

Prostate Cancer UK

New nationwide data shows the number of men dying from prostate cancer in the UK has exceeded 12,000 in one year for the first time ever. This is unacceptable, says Prosatate Cancer UK.

Entering Awards may be the last thing on your minds during these early days of the Covid-19 crisis. However, to continue to recognise the continuous work that clubs undertake within their local community, we are determined that the Club Awards, Hospitality Social Media Awards and the new-this-year Unsung Heroes Awards and Clubhouse Awards will continue as planned, as will Club Act of the Year.

Clubs deserve their place in the spotlight; nothing changes that.

The Awards ceremonies are scheduled for later in the year with dates currently being

confirmed. Should these prove impracticable, then they’ll run as virtual events until clubland can get together in one place under one roof – safely.

For ‘time to shine’ reminders take a look at: • Club Awards – www.clubmirror.com/live • Hospitality Social Media Awards – pages 54-55. Also visit www.hsma.biz and www.facebook.com/HSMAwards/ for photos of last year’s event • Unsung Heroes Awards – Turn to page 13 • Club Act Awards – Turn to pages 58-59 • Clubhouse Awards – Turn to page 56-57

In January this year, Prostate Cancer UK renewed its MANifesto to unite the brightest minds in science and healthcare and the most passionate and caring people,’ to deliver the future men deserve’.

“Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men in the UK and is set to be the most commonly diagnosed cancer overall by 2030, as the ageing population grows. Overall a man diagnosed in 2020 has a much-improved chance of survival compared to a man diagnosed 10 years ago, but with the number of affected men increasing, UK-wide data for 2017 showed the highest ever recorded yearly deaths from the disease.

“This is despite medical advances in diagnosing and treating prostate cancer

and increased national interest in recent years. Now we're urging action and renewed focus on tackling the problem, with ambitious research plans and a refreshed strategy.

“We have the plans and the expertise, but we need a much bigger team of supporters to fund the work to make our vision a reality. Join the movement. Men, we are with you.”

CONTACT DETAILS • Specialist nurses for help, questions and advice -0800 074 8383 •All other contact details are at https://prostatecanceruk.org See page 49 for a Club Insure initiative and a very personal story from Associate Director Lloyd Pinder CLUB MIRROR 7

CLUB NEWS

Clubnews

8 CLUB MIRROR

Club Mirror takes a whirlwind tour of clubs around the country in the fastest way possible – by social media.

Follow Club Mirror (twitter.com/clubmirrormag) and our sister titles: Club Football (twitter.com/clubmfootball) Club Rugby (twitter.com/clubmirrorrugby) Club Cricket (twitter.com/clubmcricket) Clubhouse Europe (twitter.com/clubhouseeurope) Sports4Bars.com (twitter.com/Sports4Bars) CLUB MIRROR 9

ARE YOU SWITCHED ON WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR ENERGY BILLS? If you’re not switching, you’re not saving...

Let Smarter Business do the hard work for you.

We’ll compare quotes in minutes and find your club the best energy deal, saving you up to 30% on your energy bills!

Get in touch with an energy expert today on:

01444 220060

t: 01444 220060 e: info@smarterbusiness.co.uk w: www.smarterbusiness.co.uk

®

NEWS SPECIAL – PROTECTING EQUIPMENT

The Cask Marque guide to bar and cellar closure processes Now that licensed outlets will have to close for an extended period of time due to Covid-19, Cask Marque advises clubs to take the following steps to ensure draught dispense systems, bar and cellar equipment and your premises are kept in optimum condition throughout this unprecendented situation.

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Clean all cask and keg lines as per your usual procedure.

Do not leave water in any beer line: empty the lines of water by blowing keg lines and pull water through until air on cask lines.

Alternatively, fill the lines with a beer line protector such as Proton Guardian.

All couplers should be sanitised and attached to the ring main sockets.

Remove hop filters from cask lines, and hang the lines off the floor.

Clean all cask equipment (taps, hop filters, extractor rods, auto tilts, dipsticks) in sanitiser and leave to air dry.

Turn gas cylinders off at individual valves, cleaning gas valve and main supply.

Turn remote coolers off at the plug.

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Ensure all empty casks are corked and stored in a secure area.

Ensure all glassware is clean and stored on ventilated matting.

Drain glasswasher, clean all filters and inner surfaces, switch off and leave door open.

Empty ice machines, sanitise inner surfaces, switch off, and leave hatch doors open.

Remove sparklers and nozzles from spouts, clean in hot water and leave to air dry.

Remove stock from bottle coolers and optic rails. Switch off fridges and leave open.

Finally carry out regular checks in the cellar for pests, damp and ventilation. .

If you still have unbroached kegs in the cellar we recommend keeping the cooling fans switched on to preserve the life of the stock.

Otherwise, turn cooling fans off. Return any un-used in date stock to your supplier.

Deep clean the cellar walls, floors, and sumps with sanitiser.

This advice has been compiled from the recommendations of the Cask Marque assessors and with advice/input from Avanti Solutions.

Contact Cask Marque on 01206 752212 or visit their website at https://cask-marque.co.uk

CLUB MIRROR 11

CALL FOR ENTRIES

Calling NLS football clubs Do you deserve to be recognised? Do you know someone who does? Then we want to hear from you.

F

ree to enter, the Unsung Heroes Awards are open to clubs and volunteers at any club in the National Leagues System, recognising everyone from Club Secretaries and Match Secretaries to volunteers in all walks of football club life – the lifeblood of non-league football.

Every volunteer and every club shortlisted will be invited to a special event when the winners will be announced and presented with their trophy.

Who can enter?

These are open to volunteers and/or clubs in the National Leagues System, from Step 1 (National League National division) to Step 4. There are two types of category in The Unsung Heroes Awards – People and Clubs.

What are the categories?

People Awards are open to anyone who carries out any of the roles listed in the categories below on a voluntary basis. (Paid employees, either full or part time, are not eligible to enter.)

Club officials can nominate volunteers for: • Club Secretary of the Year • Lifetime Achievement • Match Secretary of the Year • Media Manager of the Year • Rising Star (volunteer; aged 21 or under) • Volunteer of the Year

Club Awards are open to all club in the National Leagues System, from Step 1 (National League National division) to Step 4.

The club categories are: • Business Initiative of the Year • Charity Club of the Year • Community Programme of the Year • Family Club of the Year • Most Inclusive Club of the Year • Social Club of the Year

How to enter 1. email info@clubmirror.com telling us who you are nominating and why (maximum 100 words).

You can enter/nominate as many volunteers as you wish.

2. Tell us which category/categories you are nominating them/yourself for. You can enter as many/ few as you wish.

3. Supporting materials can be sent via email info@clubmirror.com – or post to: Unsung Heroes Awards, ACP-Regus, 59-60 Thames Steet, Windsor, SL4 1TX). These can include, for example, testimonials, images, a short video (on phones, cam corders etc).

DEADLINE FOR ENTRIES 31 August, 2020

CLUB MIRROR 13

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VOLUNTEERS

Volunteers – engaging, sustaining and valuing The way that clubs engage with volunteers can make a real difference to people’s experience and can determine whether they’ll sustain their involvement – crucial during these trying times and for a positive future. There is, however, a role for policy makers in ensuring that the wider environment is conducive to people wanting to get involved. How can barriers to participation be addressed? ‘Time Well Spent’, a report into the volunteering experience is the result of a national survey carried out through YouGov’s panel of over 10,000 respondents. Publisher NCVO explains.

Diversity The report’s findings suggest that access to volunteering opportunities is unequal. People from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and people with a lower level of educational attainment, are less likely to get involved as volunteers, which we conclude is to their disadvantage. Moreover, disabled people and those from a BAME community seem to have a less positive experience for some aspects of their volunteering than non-disabled and white volunteers.

• Diversity is a much-discussed topic in society, including in charities, but discussions frequently focus on paid staff. Is there more that we can do to raise the debate about volunteering and diverity, particularly if we think that unequal access to

opportunities is entrenching disadvantage or harming social mobility?

• It is widely recognised that creating good quality volunteering opportunities requires investment.

However, organisations that might be best placed to support greater involvement in communities where volunteering rates are relatively low rarely have the capacity to invest. How can we provide support to build capacity in areas where fewer people are getting involved, such as BAME organisations?

• Where disabled people are less positive about their experience, is this related to the attitudes of others or a lack of reasonable adjustments? Are there variations by different impairments or conditions?

And would an ‘Access to Volunteering’ fund – as NCVO has previously called for – provide a mechanism for improving the volunteering experience for disabled people?

Youth social action Different age groups have different expectations over what good volunteering looks like. Much attention has been given to encouraging young people to volunteer. Yet, it is those in the 18–24 age bracket who are more likely to stop volunteering.

• Are schemes aimed at young people too focused on employment prospects and opportunity, when other motivations might be more enduring over time?

CLUB MIRROR 15

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VOLUNTEERS • When considering new initiatives and funding, how can we ensure that young people are able to shape opportunities?

Loneliness While loneliness and isolation are two separate concepts, the link between them helps to show how volunteering can create connectedness and potentially reduce loneliness. Feeling connected is a key part of the volunteer experience; making new connections is both a motivator and an impact of volunteering.

• Certain groups are more likely to feel lonely than others, including younger people, older people and disabled people. How can we ensure that volunteering opportunities that connect them to others are accessible and inclusive?

• Is enough weight placed on this aspect of volunteering when organisations are considered for funding? Are these outcomes given less importance than other easier-to-measure or ‘higherorder’ outcomes?

Localism Volunteering is often embedded in local communities. Whilst there are many instances of collective action around communities of interest, people say they get involved primarily at a local level and in their own neighbourhoods.

• The shift to digital platforms for volunteer brokerage and support has occurred at a time when investment in local brokerage and support, particularly via volunteer centres, appears to be in decline. Does the evidence in this report suggest it is time to rethink the role of volunteer centres?

Skills Much emphasis has been placed on skills-based volunteering through employer-supported volunteering.

Whilst a proportion of volunteers (particularly younger volunteers) want to gain skills through volunteering, the majority of people want to use the skills they have to give back to the community.

• With large employers committed to supporting employees’ health and wellbeing as a part of the Civil Society Strategy, is there more scope to encourage time for volunteering?

• How can employers support volunteering in a light-touch way that fits with what motivates volunteers?

• Local initiatives such as Cities of Service and Tempo Time Credits have been successful in encouraging local participation.

Public services - an insight Investment in programmes such as Q-Volunteering and Helpforce illustrate significant interest amongst funders and policy makers in widening the role of volunteers in public services. Although the majority of volunteers in the public sector have a positive experience, they are less likely to be satisfied and to continue volunteering than those volunteering for civil society. They are also more inclined to say their volunteering feels like paid work and that there is too much bureaucracy.

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Clubs could consider...

Offering inclusive volunteering opportunities and experience • Making it easy to get involved (e.g. taster sessions) • Reaching out to different people using a range of recruitment methods (e.g. supporting beneficiaries to volunteer, peer recruitment, working with community and faith organisations) • Creating a culture that actively encourages equality, diversity and inclusion • Talking about volunteering and volunteers in a way that people can engage with • Encouraging volunteers to bring their lived experience to their role • Ensuring online and offline volunteering opportunities are accessible and well-supported

Maximising the impact volunteering has on volunteers and on those they help • Valuing and recognising volunteers in a variety of ways, and communicating this to volunteers and others • Assessing the impact of volunteers’ contributions, with something concrete to demonstrate this • Contributing to changing the culture around the value of volunteering • Investing in supporting volunteers to do the best they can in their role • Valuing the role of volunteer coordinators or managers (where applicable) in supporting volunteers

Strengthening the connections that are at the heart of volunteering • Facilitating opportunities for volunteers to meet and socialise with others • Creating structures that are designed to enable volunteers’ voices to be heard, and volunteers be part of the organisation • Thinking about different ways to connect people to the organisation, to others and to the activities they participate in • Thinking about how to help connect those who might otherwise feel excluded

Ensuring an appropriate level of formalisation • Thinking about how to be proportionate in what the organisation does and how it’s done • Explaining why any processes are in place (where necessary) • Promoting ways of making volunteering roles rewarding • Distinguishing volunteering roles from paid roles and focusing on what makes volunteering different

Trying to make the experience enjoyable for volunteers • Promoting volunteer opportunities in a way that means potential volunteers will look forward to being part of the organisation • Taking an interest in volunteers and what they want to get from volunteering • Supporting volunteers and ensuring they know how to raise an issue if needed

Ensuring volunteering feels truly voluntary at all times • Checking in on volunteers, especially the most involved, to avoid burnout • Not putting pressure on volunteers and ensuring they feel free to leave • Regularly discussing volunteers’ roles with them to see if their expectations are being met

Supporting volunteers to give time in ways that are meaningful to them • Trying to engage with volunteers to understand what is important to them • Supporting them to find a way to give time in a fulfilling way • Matching roles with what people want to give and their offer of time • Being transparent about volunteer roles • Giving feedback on how people make a difference • Managing people’s expectations to avoid disappointment

Impact on volunteer experience Potential volunteers feel they can give volunteering a go to see if it’s for them, have a range of accessible opportunities open to them and feel welcomed whoever they are.

Volunteers feel they are making a difference, and the club supports them in this.

Volunteers feel connected and a part of the club, with opportunities to meet people and have a voice.

Volunteers feel valued and not overburdened by the demands of the club – and understand why processes are in place.

Volunteers enjoy taking part and feel supported in their contributions.

Volunteers feel they give time on their own terms and can choose to change or stop giving their time.

Volunteers feel their volunteering is fulfilling and resonates with what matters to them, and the club supports them in this.

Time Well Spent , a report into the volunteering experience published by NCVO (January 2019), was the result of a national survey carried out through YouGov's panel (10,000+ respondents). The survey focuses on volunteering through groups, clubs and organisations and includes data on recent volunteers, but also lapsed volunteers and non-volunteers.

The aims of the survey were to: • Gain a rounder view of the different ways people get involved; look at how volunteering fits into people’s lives and the impact it has on them; understand people’s experiences across the volunteer journey; consider what a quality volunteer experience looks like; explore how to better engage potential volunteers.

CLUB MIRROR 17

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VOLUNTEERS

Recruiting volunteers Constantly reviewing how to recruit volunteers is a sound practice. This practical list of things to consider when you’re seeking out new volunteers comes from Volunteering Matters.

V

olunteers are the lifeblood of many clubs around the UK. But topping up the bank of people you can rely on can be a challenging task. Maybe it’s time to have a rethink? Here goes…

1. What’s your ask?

Before you do anything, agree what and who you’re looking for. Create engaging content to simply explain what the role is, why it’s important, when and where it takes place and what someone could get out of it. Anticipate potential anxieties by explaining if travel expenses are covered, if training is provided and what commitment is required.

Make sure to use accessible language and avoid jargon.

2. Map the area.

This might be stating the obvious, and even if you’ve lived somewhere your whole life, it’s worth sitting down (maybe with a few other people to bounce ideas off) and thinking of all the potential locations, organisations and people you could contact. Start a spreadsheet of contact details (postal and online) for local schools, colleges, universities, local community groups and other potential referring organisations.

3. Who do you already know?

Have a think about any local contacts you already have, and how they might be able to help you spread the word. In our case, as a national charity, we had colleagues working on other projects and programmes nearby – we made sure to connect with them and make the most of existing networks.

Maybe even ask them to help you put posters up!

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4. Talking of colleagues...

Make sure you’ve used all your organisation’s communications capacity. Is there a website you can put information on? Are there social media accounts you can get the word out through? Arm your colleagues with great information about the opportunity and they can be ambassadors for you.

5. Go online!

There are many free websites that can be effective to promote local volunteering opportunities though: Do-it.org, Gumtree, Charity jobs, Indeed.co.uk, Freeads.co.uk, Jobsite.co.uk – try them and test out what works best in your area.

6. Get offline!

Libraries, community centres, cafes, volunteer centres are all places you should call (and/or visit) to ask if they could help you by displaying flyers or posters.

Tap in to their knowledge and ask them if there’s any local newsletters and mailings lists you should get information to. More stating of the obvious, but if you’re calling somewhere, take the name of the person you’ve spoken to and be sure to send the information for their attention so they know to expect it and what to do with it!

7. Go back to school!

Have you any local universities, colleges or schools with 6th forms? This is a bit more specific, but consider if there might be students studying relevant subject areas to your volunteering opportunity. If so – contact departments and course tutors to promote your opportunity. For instance for GOGA in

Bradford we knew that we needed volunteers to help manage and promote events – so we contacted marketing courses and sold it to lecturers as an opportunity for students to gain real life practical experience. Also think about other relevant groups such as careers teams, student volunteering groups and student union societies – they should all be full to the brim with engaged people looking to gain extra experience!

8. Job Centres and careers advisors.

For some of our GOGA opportunities we contacted local jobcentres and asked for our information to be added to their ‘District Provision Tool’ – their database of local opportunities for unemployed people looking to get into employment or training. We also contacted other organisations like Connexions and other advice centres for young people that help them get into work or provide advice and guidance.

We explained how volunteering could help improve their CV and career prospects.

9. Don’t be scared of local press!

Contact them to let them know about the opportunity – and have a think if there’s a hook that might make it interesting. Might there be photo opportunities? Don’t be shy, but also don’t take up their time, keep it short and sweet and they can let you know if it’s something they can help cover.

So there you have it – a whistle-stop tour through getting the word out in a local area. More practical information can be found at: www.volunteeringmatters.org.uk

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REFURBISHMENT

Designs on your club Clubs have always been under pressure to compete for the local leisure pound. Creating the perfect ambience will remain a key component here in the future, as our Refurbishment Club of the Year finalists well know. Here’s how they’ve responded to the challenge, from new builds to complete refurbishments.

Broadstone RBL Broadstone, Dorset www.broadstonelegion.co.uk • Number of members: 1,040 • Founded: 1947 • Extent of Refurbishment: £160k; throughout the club Broadstone RBL has undertaken a major £160k refurbishment across all areas of the club, paid for by club funds.

Treasurer Peter Buchan said: “The refurbishment was extensive and included, for example, the construction of a proper external smoking area outside and renovation of the ladies toilets.”

As part of the refurb, Peter also installed a computerised POS system and accounting system to help streamline the club.

Alongside all of this, the club has been focussing on live entertainment – usually soloists and tribute bands – to bring more people in.

A two and a half day “open day”, which included comedians, bands and kids’ entertainment, proved a perfect showcase for the new-look club.

“The refurbishment has made a big difference in retaining members,” says Peter, adding that membership has also gone up.

Broadstone RBL

Marston’s loan, a donation from a benefactor and club funds, has increased the pulling power of the club and increased revenues.

“We’ve now been able to bring our previously franchised catering in-house to help change the direction of our food and drink offering,” said Stewart Judd, General Manager. “Within a six month period we’ve increased food and drink revenue by over 40 per cent.”

As a result of the improvements, the club has managed to recruit over 200 new social members. It has also been busy targeting a younger demographic via social media, increasing its followers on Facebook to 4,090, up from 250 two years ago.

The course itself has been recognised as a ‘Gem’ in the Top 100 Golf Courses listings, was rated with a Certificate of Excellence on TripAdvisor and has built a new indoor swing studio to encourage new golfers and members. The Head Professional is now able to teach over 150 golfers, from beginners to County Level.

The refurb is an important backdrop to the club’s preparations for its 125th anniversary. “We’ll have a one week Festival including the Middlesex County Men’s Championship, and in July there will be a three day event an series of open external competitions and social events,” says Stewart.

Bush Hill Park Golf Club Bush Hill Park Golf Club Bush Hill, London www.bhpgc.com • Number of members: playing members 44; social membership 250 • Founded: 1895 • Extent of Refurbishment: £60k; bar and indoor training facility A £60k bar refurbishment, jointly funded via a Bush Hill Park Golf Club

CLUB MIRROR 21

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REFURBISHMENT City of London Club Old Broad Street, London www.cityoflondonclub.com

City of London Club

• Number of members: 1,075 • Founded: 1832 • Extent of Refurbishment: Ongoing; two kitchens + bedroom project The City of London Club completed two major kitchen refurbishments in the space of 18 months, and has begun an intensive project which will transform the club’s upper floors into on-site accommodation.

“Our biggest achievement has been refurbishing our two main kitchens, both 40 years old. This included introducing a Josper Charcoal Oven,” says Edward Plunket, Club Secretary.

“We have achieved a steady retention of numbers, even during refurbishments, and we now offer our Member’s Bar as a dinner space in the evenings which has become very popular. And all while maintaining a 100% score from Environmental Health!”

The club’s other major refurbishment, the bedroom project, has now also been approved after an extensive planning process.

“Our bedrooms will increase revenue and completely change the running of the business, which has been a lunch club for almost 200 years,” says Edward. “We have also recently launched a 10-Year Membership plan, which allows members to pay for 10 years of membership in one sum, so that they are exempt from any raise in membership fees.”

With London ever changing, the club knows that to maintain its position as one of the finest private member’s club in the city, it has to evolve whilst retaining the traditions of good food, good wine and good company.

“The aim is to be relevant to all ages, in all sectors,” says Edward.

“We aim to offer a home from home environment, providing a safe, relaxed and private feel where members can bring friends and colleagues away from the hustle and bustle of the city.”

Cobham Sport & Social Club

22 CLUB MIRROR

Cobham Sports & Social Club Ashington, Dorset www.facebook.com/CobhamSportsandSocialClub • Number of members: 3,052 • Founded: 1971 • Extent of Refurbishment: £58k; new bar, kitchen, changing rooms Cobham Sport & Social Club “We’ve spent £50k on refurbishing the members’ lounge with a new bar, new bar counter, new ceiling, light fittings and furniture,” says Christopher Weight, General Manager. “Response all round has been fantastic, so much so that we’re turning away members. We get 30-50 requests a week. We have a waiting list which we’ve now closed at 400 names.”

The orangery has now been completed (17.5m x 6.5m) which has extended the size of the club’s restaurant with an additional 56 seats.

“We’ve also spent £6k on a new improved mains which increases the amount of gas coming into the kitchen,” says Christopher. “We’ve also incorporated the new Rational Combination Oven Cooking Centre range and have bought a 3,000 litre fat trap in the kitchen to make sure all the fat is collected.”

Alongside the investment in the kitchen, bar and dining areas comes an improved food offering, says

Christopher: “It includes vegan and gluten free choices, and all dishes are freshly made on site.

We’ve taken on a new chef to cope with the rise in business.”

Further investments in the club’s conference business include a new light system. “We give delegates tablets at the conference which controls lights, volume and so on,” says Christopher. The club’s Wi-Fi speed has been improved and the TV upgraded to a new 75 inch model.

The club’s sporting facilities include bowls, a nine hole golf course, squash courts, rifle range and a football pitch. The football section has also benefitted from the club’s investment, with a full refurbishment of the football changing rooms completed at a cost of £2k.

Parkstone Yacht Club Poole, Dorset www.parkstoneyachtclub.com

Parkstone Yacht Club

• Number of members: 2,800 • Founded: 1895 • Extent of Refurbishment: New build Parkstone Yacht Club, established in 1895, now has 2,800 members and an impressive new state-of-theart clubhouse, opened in 2019. The clubhouse boasts four separate balconies all designed to make the most of the panoramic views over Poole harbour, the

largest natural harbour in Europe and second largest in the world.

With a thriving social section, sports screenings (BT Sport) and three separate indoor eating areas, its stylish new food operation serves breakfast and lunch Monday to Sunday, with evening dining on Friday and Saturday. Bars open 11am - 2.30pm and 6pm - 11pm daily (5pm on Sunday).

downstairs changing room and toilets.

“Feedback from the public and professional tennis players has been fantastic,” said Chief Executive Marc Newey, adding that Jamie Murray had endorsed it and that Andy Murray had recently rejoined the club.

The facility can now be used in the summer – previously the old “bubble” was too hot for play – and

Roehampton Club Roehampton, London www.roehamptonclub.co.uk

Sale Sports Club Sale, Greater Manchester www.salesportsclub.com

• Number of members: 5,000 • Founded: 1901 • Extent of Refurbishment: £1.75m (Indoor tennis block; previous year £4m on club as a whole) Founded in 1901 and with 5,000 members, the multi-sport Roehampton Club has completed the build of a new £1.75m indoor tennis block with three indoor courts, a viewing gallery, vending machines, a

“frost bursting” means that the facility stays five degrees warmer than the ambient temperature in winter. Now, tennis can be played year-round from 6.30am to 11pm with LED lights coming on automatically when play starts.

The club’s facilities also include a golf course, squash courts, croquet, pool and a state of the art health club. There is now a three year waiting list to join the club.

• Number of members: 600 • Founded: 1854 • Extent of Refurbishment: £1.2m. New build

Roehampton Club

Sale Sports Club has constructed a new clubhouse at the cost of £1.2m. This has been a huge undertaking for the volunteer-run club and included major contractual challenges which included selling off land to fund the build.

Roehampton Club

Sale Sports Club As well as the new clubhouse, the club has also resurfaced tennis courts, put in an artificial cricket pitch and invested in new boundary netting. There is an emphasis on making the new clubhouse more of a community facility with a broad entertainment offering, spanning everything from lectures and musical events to an annual beer festival and gin festival. Community officers are also playing a big role by going into schools offering sports coaching.

The nominator (Club Insure) said: “They have

CLUB MIRROR 23

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REFURBISHMENT Sale Sports Club

been undertaking an extensive renovation project where a fantastic new clubhouse has been constructed with the historic one demolished. I have visited the club and am very impressed. The development was nearly finished when I visited and I have no doubt this will be a success.”

Stewartby Club Stewartby, Bedfordshire www.stewartbyclub.com • Number of members: 600 • Founded: 1932 • Extent of Refurbishment: £100k; throughout the club Stewartby Club has been refurbished to the tune of £100k, all paid for out of club funds. The extensive club overhaul included the kitchen, toilets, lounge bar, new furniture, new carpets and flooring and the function room.

The refurbishment has seen membership grow, up by 50% on the previous year. Now members can enjoy their sports screenings, pool, darts and skittles in the luxury of a fresh new club.

Stewartby Club

24 CLUB MIRROR

Swanage Conservative Club Stewartby Club

Swanage Conservative Club Swanage, Dorset www.swanageconservativeclub.co.uk • Number of members: 1,400 • Founded: 1885 • Extent of Refurbishment: £85k; throughout Swanage Conservative Club’s £85k investment in a major club refurbishment has been greeted with enthusiasm by its 1,400-strong membership.

The revitalised club boasts two bars, a function room, snooker tables, darts and free Wi-Fi. The club serves quality food at competitive prices every day of the week (including lighter bites, vegetarian and gluten-free options) with Sunday roasts proving particularly popular.

Members and guests now enjoy live music, line dancing, wine tastings, poker, quiz nights and karaoke (amongst many other activities) all in a fresh new environment,.

All of this hard work has now been rewarded, with the club reporting its best trading period for five years.

Swanage Conservative Club

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HQ - COVID-19 BULLETIN

HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

It will come as no surprise that this month’s HQ is focusing on Covid-19. Advice is updated and changes on a daily basis so please be aware that the facts on these pages are correct at time of going to press (20 March, 2020). More up-to-the-minute details can be found at www.clubmirror.com. We will continue to update the site with relevant news, views and information sources, as well more lighthearted as well as inspirational ideas and initiatives for and from all you clubs out there.

Home deliveries of food and alcohol Many existing licensed premises are investigating the launch of home delivery services. As always there are licensing considerations that businesses will need to have regard to prior to starting home deliveries. Stephen McGowan from TLT Solicitors presents the following FAQs. (Correct as at March 20; please keep checking for updates on clubmirror.com)

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ou will not be surprised to hear that the law was not drafted considering persons self-isolating due to an infectious disease.

The fundamental requirements are discussed below but in this evolving situation feel free to contact us for bespoke advice. As we are helping clients all over the UK, this article will identify whether the advice refers to England & Wales, Scotland, or all.

Q: Do home deliveries of food need to be referred to in the operating plan/premises licence?

England and Wales If the deliveries are taking place between 05:00 and 23:00 you do not require an express permission on your premises licence to enable you to make home deliveries of food.

If deliveries are taking place between 23:00 and 05:00 you will need to check that your premises licence permits late night refreshment (supply of hot food or drink) for consumption off the premises Scotland While it is helpful and good practice to expressly note home deliveries of food as an activity on the operating plan, provided that you have permission for restaurant facilities then you should be able to offer home deliveries.

Q: Can I make deliveries of alcohol?

Scotland, England and Wales You must have permission for off sales of alcohol on the premises licence for the premises from which the alcohol is being dispatched before you can deliver alcohol. It is our view that the delivery of alcohol is a form of remote sale permitted by off sales.

Scotland We acknowledge that some licensing boards have,

28 CLUB MIRROR

in recent times through their policy statements, sought to oblige licence holders to specify alcohol deliveries as an activity. Our view is that this has been done so boards can assess delivery procedures as opposed to any wider view that delivery cannot occur unless specified.

Our advice is that off sales permission of itself allows delivery. As above, given the issues for businesses and consumers, it may that the police and licensing boards take a relaxed approach to enforcing any restrictions of this nature.

Q: I have an off sale licence and wish to deliver alcohol. Are there any special rules?

England and Wales Home deliveries of alcohol need to be controlled in the same way that any on or off sale of alcohol is made Your premises licence may contain additional conditions about home deliveries of alcohol and you

should ensure that you are familiar with these conditions, and that you comply with the conditions, before making any home deliveries of alcohol.

Scotland It is important to note that deliveries of alcohol are highly regulated. You should note the following legal requirements.

• You must keep delivery records (see below) on the premises and in the delivery vehicle; • No deliveries before 6am or after midnight; • All payments must be processed during licensed hours (usually 10am to 10pm but check your specific licensed hours for off-sale); • Challenge 25 must be applied when delivering the alcohol.

• The record keeping requirements are that a day book must be kept at your despatch premises and a delivery book or invoice carried by the driver or courier must specify:(a) the quantity, description and price of alcohol, and (b) the name and

Protecting and caring for older people and vulnerable adults The Government has advised those who are at increased risk of severe illness from coronavirus (Covid -19) to be particularly stringent in following social distancing measures (see page 31).

The particularly stringent measures (see page 31) apply to: • Those aged 70 or older (regardless of medical conditions) • Those under 70 with an underlying health condition listed below (ie anyone instructed to get a flu jab as an adult each year on medical grounds): – Chronic (long-term) respiratory diseases, such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), emphysema or bronchitis – Chronic heart disease, such as heart failure – Chronic kidney disease – Chronic liver disease, such as hepatitis – Chronic neurological conditions, such as Parkinson’s disease, motor neurone disease, multiple sclerosis (MS), a learning disability or cerebral palsy – Diabetes

address of the person to whom it is being delivered.

Delivering the alcohol to an address other than as per the order form is an offence, so it cannot be left with a neighbour and any redirection would require the day book and invoice order updated.

In addition to this we also recommend that a refusal register should be maintained by the delivery driver/courier, although this is not a strict legal requirement.

If you are planning to despatch alcohol via a third party it is your responsibility to ensure that their service complies with the law, the major issue being delivery of alcohol to under 18s. Thus the delivery driver/courier must seek proof of age at the point of delivery.

This may prove very difficult where a customer is self-isolating, the law anticipates face to face contact and the physical verification of ID at the door step in line with the abovementioned Challenge 25 condition.

You should be asking customers if they are selfisolating and have processes in place to mitigate the risk.

Please seek specialist advice about due diligence options and risks that may arise.

There are no specific requirements for the couriers to have the two hour mandatory alcohol training but they must have some training to allow them to fulfil their age verification responsibilities.

– Problems with your spleen – for example, sickle cell disease or if you have had your spleen removed – A weakened immune system as the result of conditions such as HIV and AIDS, or medicines such as steroid tabletsor chemotherapy – Being seriously overweight (a body mass index (BMI) of 40 or above) • Those who are pregnant Note: there are some clinical conditions which put people at even higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. If you are in this category, the NHS in England will directly contact you with advice the more stringent measures you should take in order to keep yourself and others safe.

For now, you should rigorously follow the social distancing advice in full.

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People falling into this group are those who may be at particular risk due to complex health problems such as: • Having received an organ transplant and remaining on ongoing immunosuppression medication • People with cancer who are undergoing active chemotherapy or radiotherapy • People with cancers of the blood or bone marrow such as leukaemia who are at any stage of treatment • People with severe chest conditions such as cystic fibrosis or severe asthma (requiring hospital admissions or courses of steroid tablets) • People with severe diseases of body systems, such as severe kidney disease (dialysis) Visit:www.gov.uk/government/publications/covi d-19-guidance-on-social-distancing-and-forvulnerable-people

Your premises licence may contain additional conditions about home deliveries of alcohol and you should ensure that you are familiar with these conditions, and that you comply with the conditions, before making any home deliveries of alcohol.

You should carefully check your Premises Licence to make sure that there are no conditions that regulate how you can deliver alcohol.

Q: I have heard about possible relaxations of planning or licensing rules surrounding home deliveries and takeaways, does this apply to me?

Central Government in London has announced (18 March 2020) that it will relax planning rules surrounding the use of restaurants and bars and takeaways in England and Wales.

This proposal does not extend to Scotland and the devolved administration at Holyrood will need to take its own view.

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Scotland PREMISES WITH A LATE HOURS CATERING LICENCE UNDER THE CIVIC GOVERNMENT (SCOTLAND) ACT 1982. You should check your licence to make sure that there are no conditions restricting deliveries. If not, then it is likely that you can make home deliveries without requiring any further permission.

This publication is intended for general guidance and represents our understanding of the relevant law and practice as at March 2020. Specific advice should be sought for specific cases. www.tltsolicitors.com/insights-and-events

CLUB MIRROR 29

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HQ - COVID-19 BULLETIN

The NHS guide to hand washing – how to do it and why everyone should At the risk of hammering home the obvious but critical message that handwashing is one of the best ways to protect yourself and those around you getting sick, we’re joining the NHS in offering this practical reminder.

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ou can help yourself and everyone else stay healthy by washing your hands often, especially during these key times when you are likely to get and spread germs.

• Before, during, and after preparing food • Before eating food • Before and after caring for someone at home who is sick with vomiting or diarrhea • Before and after treating a cut or wound • After using the toilet • After changing diapers or cleaning up a child who has used the toilet • After blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing • After touching an animal, animal feed, or animal waste • After handling pet food or pet treats • After touching garbage

5. Dry your hands using a clean towel or air dry them.

Why? Read the science behind the recommendations.

Follow five steps to wash your hands the right way Washing your hands is easy, and it’s one of the most effective ways to prevent the spread of germs. Clean hands can stop germs from spreading from one person to another and throughout an entire community—from your home and workplace to childcare facilities and hospitals.

Follow these five steps every time.

1. Wet your hands with clean, running water (warm or cold), turn off the tap, and apply soap.

2. Lather your hands by rubbing them together with the soap. Lather the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.

3. Scrub your hands for at least 20 seconds. Need a timer? Hum the “Happy Birthday” song from beginning to end twice.

4. Rinse your hands well under clean, running water.

30 CLUB MIRROR

Use hand sanitizer when you can’t use soap and water You can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available.

Washing hands with soap and water is the best way to get rid of germs in most situations. If soap and water are not readily available, you can use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. You can tell if the sanitizer contains at least 60% alcohol by looking at the product label.

Sanitizers can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in many situations. However, • Sanitizers do not get rid of all types of germs.

• Hand sanitizers may not be as effective when hands are visibly dirty or greasy.

• Hand sanitizers might not remove harmful chemicals from hands like pesticides and heavy metals.

Caution! Swallowing alcohol-based hand sanitizers can cause alcohol poisoning if more than a couple of mouthfuls are swallowed. Keep it out of

reach of young children and supervise their use.

Learn more here.

How to use hand sanitizer • Apply the gel product to the palm of one hand (read the label to learn the correct amount).

• Rub your hands together.

• Rub the gel over all the surfaces of your hands and fingers until your hands are dry. This should take around 20 seconds.

Downloadable posters can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/handwashing/posters.htm l and for a short YouTube NHS video visit this link - https://uk.video.search.yahoo.com

Social distancing – the facts Social distancing measures are the steps we are all being advised to take to reduce social interaction between people to help reduce the transmission of Covid-19.

Social measures at time of writing (March 20) are to: 1. Avoid contact with someone who is displaying symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19). These symptoms include high temperature and/or new and continuous cough.

• •

2. Avoid non-essential use of public transport when possible.

3. Work from home, where possible. Your employer should support you to do this. Please refer to employer guidance for more information.

4. Avoid large and small gatherings in public spaces.

5. Avoid gatherings with friends and family. Keep in touch using remote technology such as phone, internet, and social media.

6. Use telephone or online services to contact GPs or other essential services.

Everyone should be trying to follow these measures as much as is practicable.

The Governement strongly advises all of us to follow the above measures as much as possible and to significantly limit face-to-face interaction with friends and family if possible, particularly if you: • Are over 70 • Have an underlying health condition • Are pregnant

• •

ticularly after being out of the home, after blowing noses, sneezing or coughing, eating or handling food).

Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contact with people who have symptoms.

Cover coughs or sneezes with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin and wash hands.

Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

What should you do if you develop symptoms of coronavirus (COVID-19) The same guidance applies to the general population and those at increased risk of severe illness form coronavirus (COVID-19). If you develop symptoms of COVID-19 (high temperature and/or new and continuous cough), self-isolate at home for seven days. Full guidance can be found at clubmirror.com or at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/covid-19-stay-at-home-guidance What should you do if you have hospital and GP appointments during this period?

The Government is advising everyone to access medical assistance remotely, wherever possible.

However, if you have a scheduled hospital or other medical appointment during this period, talk to your GP or clinician to ensure you continue to receive the care you need and consider whether appointments can be postponed.

This advice is likely to be in place for some weeks.

Handwashing and respiratory hygiene There are general principles which can be followed to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including: • Washing hands more often – with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitiser (par-

Mental wellbeing Social distancing can be frustrating, affecting moods, feelings, problems sleeping and so on. There’s a plethora of ideas on social media on how to keep mentally and physically active and ideas of exercises everyone can do at home can be found on the NHS website (https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/exercise/

easy-low-impact-exercises) Exercise is considered highly important for mental wellbeing, and we’re all able to go for a walk or exercise outdoors as long as a distance of over 2 metres from others is kept.

Other advice includes: • Spending time doing things you enjoy – reading, cooking, other indoor hobbies or listening to the radio/watching TV programmes.

• Trying to eat healthy, well-balanced meals and drinking enough water.

• Keep windows open for fresh air and getting some natural sunlight where possible – for example, walking (as above), in the garden etc.

Advice for informal carers If you are caring for someone who is vulnerable, there are some simple steps that you can take to protect them and to reduce their risk at the current time.

Ensure you follow advice on good hygiene such as: • Wash your hands on arrival and often, using soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use hand sanitiser.

• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when you cough or sneeze.

• Put used tissues in the bin immediately and wash your hands afterwards.

• Do not visit if you are unwell and make alternative arrangements for their care.

• Provide information on who they should call if they feel unwell, how to use NHS 111 online coronavirus service and leave the number for NHS 111 prominently displayed.

• Find out about different sources of support that could be used and access further advice on creating a contingency plan is available from www.carersuk.org/help-and-advice.

• Look after your own well-being and physical health during this time.

CLUB MIRROR 31

HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

Keeping calm in a crisis Stress has always been part and parcel of daily life, and that will never change. So what’s the best way to tackle those stress levels effectively? Put simply, stress is an emotional reaction to physical, psychological or emotional demands that are placed on us. Business advisor and life-coach Janet Haddon explains.

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here are so many symptoms for stress. If you did a search on the internet you would get quite a long list – physical symptoms, behavioural, emotional and cognitive.

The symptoms Symptoms can include increased irritability, severe mood changes, lack of concentration, black and white thinking, difficulty making decisions, being argumentative, losing your temper quickly, feeling overwhelmed, catching frequent colds or illness, trouble sleeping, tiredness, low or depressed mood, lack of energy, headaches, muscle tension, trouble relaxing, using stimulants such as alcohol to wind down and so on and so on. The list goes on.

There are so many things in fact, that no matter how fantastic things are at the moment, most of us would be able to put our hand up to experiencing several of them right now – but that doesn’t mean that we are ‘stressed’.

So, what happens to us in times of stress? The stress response triggers adrenaline in the body; it is what gets us going, it stimulates the ‘fight, flight or freeze’ reaction in the body. Appropriate all those years ago maybe when we were running across the fields searching for food being chased by a rather large animal – but not so appropriate now.

The stress response can actually lead us to do or say all sorts of things as a reaction to what is going on around us. It is basically there to keep us safe – to protect us; to stir us into an appropriate reaction.

If you feel like you might be experiencing high levels of stress in your life at the moment, the key is to understand what stress feels like for you; when things start to tip into overwhelm or you are feeling a little bit out of control. Understand what that feels like to you – the trick to that is getting out of your head and recognising the feelings in your body. Not easily done when we spend so much time in our heads – particularly if you are in a very busy period in your life with lots of demands being placed on you. Recognise the symptoms and how you are feeling, and recognise them before they get to a level where it is all too much.

The stress response triggers adrenaline. It is adrenaline that gets us going, and keeps us motivated to do things. Looking at it a different way then, stress is actually motivation!

Things only become stressful when we exceed our personal capacity to be able to cope.

How do we learn how to cope? The key to boosting our resilience levels is to get regular exercise, have a healthy diet – including drinking plenty of

32 CLUB MIRROR

water – and to keep our mind in a calm place! Here are three quick tips...

1. Relax Relaxation – some of us are good at it – some of us not. I know several people who just ‘don’t do’ relaxation.

It is an essential element in building up our resilience levels and our capacity for coping – for managing the stresses and strains in our lives.

Finding yourself with nothing to do – or an opportunity to sit quietly is a fantastic thing to experience. If that makes you feel bored – then sit with the boredom. I challenge you to not fill the time with something – to just sit and experience the boredom!

You might be surprised, out of boredom can come breakthroughs. Out of sitting in boredom, without things planned in, can allow the space in our lives for creativity and new things to enter.

2. Breathe We all have to breathe – it’s what keeps us alive. But surprise, surprise, most of us don’t do it properly.

Most of us keep our breathing at the top of our chest; a shallow breath. Particularly when we are busy, anxious or just caught up in ‘stuff’, we take shallow breaths.

Learning how to make full use of the breath is an incredible way, not only to relax, but also to boost your energy levels, control your emotions and achieve a sense of calm and peacefulness.

So, try a different approach. Try a deeper breath and see how you feel. Experience the difference.

There are a few parts to this that build up – give it a go.

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Learning how to make full use of your breath is an incredible way to relax, boost your energy levels, control your emotions and achieve a sense of calm.

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that’s comfortable for you. Maybe in for 4 and out for 6 or 7 but make sure that your out breath is longer than the in- breath. Added benefits are that counting distracts your mind away from its problems, and by breathing out for longer you will automatically induce the relaxation response in your body. Your body will have no alternative than to calm down.

a. Full belly breathing Place your hands on your belly – now take a deep breath in through the nose. As you breath in – feel your belly rise and as you breath out through your mouth – your belly will go back down.

By doing this you are opening up your diaphragm and allowing all your organs to get a lovely stretch and loads more oxygen into the bargain. This means an increase in energy and vitality, so it’s silly not to really!

3. Visualise Some people don’t rate visualisation, but many people do.

Most athletes and top sports people are very open about how they practice their events in their mind.

How they keep practicing, visualising, seeing themselves doing well – getting better, stronger, winning.

Visualisation is a great way to support yourself in bringing things into reality and coping with stress.

Start by picturing what you want to achieve – then see yourself achieving it.

Seeing yourself achieving things, even in your mind’s eye, will boost your motivation. Your brain will record and recollect it. You will be improving your belief in yourself.

Building your resilience levels up will leave you better placed to deal with whatever comes your way.

Doing that will enable you to manage your personal stress levels so you keep calm in any crisis.

b. 7:11 breathing 7:11 breathing is a great way to relax and great to practice at all times. It’s also great to calm the nerves before a meeting, presentation, interview, or in a crisis.

Breath in for 7 and out for 11 – easy! Find a count

• Janice Haddon is the founder and MD of Morgan Redwood and Thrive in Life 360. She has over 30 years’ experience in strategic and operational human resources and management consultancy.

• www.morganredwood.com

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HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS – FREE SERVICE TO CLUBS

HQ BUILDING THE BUSINESS

HQ Building the Business – free reader service Completely free to clubs, HQ Building the Business helps you to cut spend. With no contracts and no costs, the service simply means better buying and better business. So with nothing to lose but perhaps a lot to gain, is now the time to test out the free service?

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rom utilities and energy savings to procurement and financial services, HQ Building the Business works with your club as a surrogate head office, helping you to boost club business. And by working with carefully selected club-supporting partners and suppliers, HQ Building the Business will save you valuable time and resources, freeing up you to run an even more efficient club. And the best news is it’s a totally free service to clubs.

You’re just three steps away from saving money.

Step 1 Free and confidentail no-obligation audit – just call us or email us. The service is totally free to clubs.

Step 2 Following the audit and discussions, we will source the best deals available.

Step 3 Your club starts saving money.

It really is as simple as that. A free service with no obligations, contracts with nothing to lose but plenty to gain.

Call the team on 01753 272022 or email enquiries@hqbuildingthebusiness.com.

Frequently Asked Questions Q. How does it work?

A: It starts with a free and confidential audit of your club in those areas where you would like to find savings and efficiencies. This could be anything from utilities to phone bills and from food to club equipment.

Q. What are the costs?

A. There are no costs. This a free service to clubs.

Q. Do I need a face to face meeting?

A. Not necessarily. A lot of the ground work can be done over the phone/email.

Q. What are your club credentials?

A. We’ve been working in the club sector for over 30 years in various roles. The launch of HQ Building the Business is the culmination of many years working

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with clubs and suppliers, from brewers and telecoms suppliers, to energy and water companies.

Q. What are my obligations?

A. There are no obligations for you or your club and no contracts. It is a free service to clubs and readers.

Q. Does the club need to have a minimum turnover?

A. Our services are most suited to clubs with a minimum turnover of £100,000. This is because to secure the HQ Building the Business deals with suppliers we need to prove the value of a club to their business.

Q. What should I do if I want to get in touch?

A. Just email enquiries@hqbusiness.com or call 01753 272022.

I’ve worked with the team to assist in delivering savings across the business at Worcester Warriors and I am delighted to recommend the team on a professional as well as personal level. Energy has been one of the biggest projects, and this procurement is delivering significant short and long-term savings. There are plenty of people out there who claim they can do this; this team can. No fuss, no salesmanship, just a host of opportunities followed up by helpful assistance; make the most of them.

”

General Manager, Worcester Warriors

• www.warriors.co.uk

CLUB MIRROR 33

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INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

Drinks trend predictions The Insights team at Bibendum has been analysing the drinks lists of the some of the UK’s most influential bars to discover the hottest new trends before they hit the mainstream.

W

ith the help of a 2,000-strong consumer panel, Bibendum has created a Drinks Trend Predictions for 2020. And their Top 10 predictions for 2020 are…

Catalonia, Galicia and the Canary Islands have a strong presence.

Expect to see a broader range of grapes than the classic Tempranillo, such as Carignan, Verdejo and Bobal, not to mention the already popular Albariño.

1. Influence of the Far East Wines, spirits, beer Japan, China, Korea and South East Asia are influencing the UK drinks scene; 3 in 10 trendsetting wine venues in the UK list Sake, while 10% of all cocktails in Mode-tracked bars include liqueurs or ingredients from the Far East. These exotic ingredients include the citrus fruit Yuzu, the Pandan plant and Miso seasoning.

8 South America Wines, spirits In 2020, more consumers will drink wine from alternative South American countries (think Uruguay and Bolivia and regions (think Patagonia) as well as lesser-known grapes like Bonarda, Touriga and Tannat.

2. Sustainable packaging Wines, spirits, beer In 2020, packaging will be top of the agenda across all categories, channels and quality levels; 87% of consumers are concerned about packaging, with the majority believing responsibility lies with producers.

From wine in cans, to wine and cocktails on tap, and innovative beer packaging, expect to see brands stepping up to reduce their environmental impact in 2020.

3. Craft Coffee Fusions Spirits, beer Coffee cocktails aren’t news, but as coffee cements its place in the ‘craft’ movement, its influence on beer, spirits and RTDs will continue to evolve. Cold brew, Guarana seeds and unroasted ‘green’ coffee beans have been seen as ingredients in 67% of trendsetting bars, and in 2020 we expect alcoholic ‘hard’ coffee RTDs to catch on – a trend already gaining traction in the US. Stout lends itself well to coffee flavours, so expect some beer and coffee fusions too.

4. Austria Wines Austrian wine features on 9 in 10 of the most trendsetting wine lists. Austria may be best known for its Grüner Veltliner, but other indigenous grapes, like Blaufränkisch, Zweigelt and Saint Laurent, as well as Austrian Sparkling, are starting to gain in popularity.

5. Hard Seltzers Spirits Typically low calorie, low sugar and with an ABV of 4-6%, Hard Seltzers have been a roaring success in the US, where sales have surged +210%. This grainbased drink is aimed at younger drinkers, who are looking for ‘healthier’ options on a night out. They are sure to be a success when they hit the UK in 2020.

9. Neo-Natural Wines, beer Natural winemaking is proving to be far more than a passing trend, as winemakers across the globe opt for low-intervention methods to produce high quality wine. In 2020 we will see the natural trend trickle into the craft beer market, as brewers begin to experiment with ‘wild’ or ‘spontaneous’ fermentation – instead of using cultured yeast. In wine, naturally fermented Pet-Nat sparkling is a firm favourite of the premium On Trade.

6. Think Pink Wines, spirits We’re still waiting for its official release, but Pink Prosecco could well be hitting the market in 2020.

And with sales of Prosecco continuing to see doubledigit growth in the On Trade (+28%), along with 1 in 4 consumers regularly ‘drinking pink’, we expect to see it fly off the shelves. But it doesn’t stop at Prosecco; rosé cider and pink gin will still be huge in 2020.

7. Regional Spain Wines While Rioja is the UK consumer’s favourite winemaking region globally, 2020 will bring increased consumption of alternative Spanish regions. In the top-end of the premium On Trade, just 20% of Spanish listings are from Rioja, while regions such as

10. Low and No hits new categories Wines, spirits, beer The trend for low and no is nothing new, but 2020 will see the diversification of this segment as it hits new categories, including dark spirits, aperitifs and RTDs. Beer is currently the leading category in low and no, and we’ll see it migrate onto draught in the On Trade. As brands raise the bar in choice and quality, consumption will continue to rise.

* Mode is a tracking tool used to examine the lists of trailblazing UK venues to spot future trends. ** Pourtraits is a panel of 2,000 consumers, segmented by drinking habits, used to test drinks concepts and spot trends.

Sources: Mode Wine 2019; Mode Spirits 2019; Ipsos Mori/King’s College 2018; GlobalData, 2019; Nielsen US Scantrack data 2019; CGA MAT to 8.10.19; Pourtraits bespoke research 2019

CONTACT DETAILS BIBENDUM WINE t.0845 263 6924 www.bibendum-wine.co.uk Join the conversation @bibendumwine

CLUB MIRROR 35

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INDUSTRY INTERVIEW

Fiveminuteswith...

Bob Williams In the first of our ‘Five minutes with…’ industry interviews, Club Mirror quizzes Bob Williams on his life as CEO of the Golf Club Managers Association. Your time begins… NOW. Bob, explain you role?

I oversee an association of approximately 1600 members who are involved in the management of the golf club, mainly in the UK. The GCMA provides a network and community to support the members through education training and professional development Best thing about your role to date?

The opportunities to meet a variance of people from within the world of golf, the singular best thing to date would have to be playing golf with Graeme McDowell at Portstewart in the Irish Open Pro-Am event.

36 CLUB MIRROR

Worst thing?

The drive home in the middle of the night when it is raining.

Name your 10 most important 2020 diary dates 1. The National Conference for November 2021.

Planning has already commenced as we start to build the programme, select the venue and review the feedback from 2019.

2. The November Summit – which will focus on the environment and sustainability within golf.

This is a new event but one which we aim to run every second year.

3. The Annual General Meeting – which will be held at Moortown Golf Club in Leeds. This is the one event that has to be planned to the very last detail.

4. The Regional Managers Conference – which provides two dates for the Regional Managers to come together and discuss the geographical differences with like minded people.

5. The Open. This year it will be held at Royal St George’s in Kent. Whilst this is one of the great sporting events of the year it also provides an opportunity for the golf industry to come together.

6. The R&A Forum – held twice a year in March and November at St Andrews where all of the

UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL How do you relax?

A Sunday morning bike ride on my own with no phone – far from the madding crowd!

What book are you reading?

Clive Woodward’s How To Win. All time favourite film?

The Commitments. golfing bodies come together to discuss the collective issues within the game.

7. Club Mirror Awards – an event which provides an opportunity to see the great work that is being done in clubs outside of golf. We can never stop learning from one another, this event provides a great deal of opportunities.

8. IOEE awards. The Institute of Enterprise and Entrepreneurs Awards shows off the most creative minds for people in Business – a real eyeopener.

9. The GCMA Sponsors and guests day at Swinley Forest Golf Club. An event where we host between thirty and forty people who have supported the Association over the last year or so. An excellent day that is complimented by a great venue

STATE OF PLAY If the Prime Minister offered you three wishes on behalf of the Golf industry what would they be?

1. To remove the taxation on all golf clubs and assist with promoting the game of golf as a game for all ages – you can play golf from the age of 4 to 104!

2. For the Government to work closer with all progressive sports in the UK Biggest changes you’ve noticed in the past THREE years?

How the game has changed in the different ways that it is being delivered to the population – adventure golf, Topgolf and Footgolf are just some of the innovations that have come to light.

Brightest expectations for 2020 and beyond?

Personally to progress my own succession plan, it will be time to move on and hand the hot seat on to the next CEO. Also to develop the Wellbeing Hotline and assist as many stressed managers as possible.

10. Christmas. It’s the only time of the year when I can take a week’s holiday and no one ever wants to speak to you or even email!

How does a ‘typical’ day start/end?

There is no typical day, the only days that are similar are the occasions when I have a full office day. These start by arriving at Bristol & Clifton Golf Club about 9.30am and leaving about 5.30pm. The rest of the time is either on the road, train or air – or in a hotel room.

Top qualities needed to do your job?

I need to be a ‘people’ person. In reality I deal with all sorts of people from all parts of the country and the world.

I need the ability to think on my feet. In my world, you can plan as much as you like, but I’ll continually be faced with something that I didn’t see coming.

I also need to try and stay topical within the world of golf and be able to react instantly.

Postives and negatives?

Whatever decisions you make irrespective if they are right or wrong they are your decisions. But you need a good team behind you and a team that are committed to you and your decisions. Whilst I have always tried to select the right characters for my team and in general have got it right, there is the odd occasion that you make a wrong choice. You have to learn the lesson and stay positive.

And on staying positive, the decision to launch the ‘wellbeing’ helpline this year was based upon the negative experiences that two GCMA members had experienced. From every negative there is a positive!

Anything you would have done differently?

Very little.

What would you like your legacy to be when you retire?

That I progressed or improved every club or Association that I have managed onto a better place than when I arrived, and that the name Bob Williams will be remembered with respect.

What is the first record you ever bought?

Something by The Tremeloes.

Last live event you attended?

Bristol Rovers v Shrewsbury (Lost 0-1; Awful game!)

Five items of food to live on for a week (calories no issue!)?

Steak, blueberries, bread, pizza and pasta.

Favourite tipple for relaxing after a hard day?

A glass of red wine (Malbec or Rioja).

Hobbies?

Cycling, golf, watching football and rugby.

Favourite golf course to play?

Swinley Forest, St Andrews Old Course and Royal West Norfolk .

Top three gadgets you’d take to a dessert island? iPhone (that’s enough) If you were forced to choose a different career?

I’d like to work with the National Trust or England Heritage or somebody of that sort.

If you were to live anywhere else bar the UK where would you choose?

Australia.

What gets you out of bed in the morning?

Always having something to look forward too.

What gives you sleepless nights?

Work stress.

CLUB MIRROR 37

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A WORD WITH SHUFL Table sizes cater for venues of all shapes and sizes, from 12 footers for the space conscious, right up to 22 footers for the spaced out.

Next generation appeal –howSHUFLcanboostyour bottom line Boosting membership will become ever more important once the UK begins to return to some form of normality after the Covid-19 crisis. Attracting a younger audience through a competitive socialising offer is just one idea to consider. Read on…

C

ompetitive socialising has become a catchall term for a new breed of entertainment experiences in leisure and hospitality environments which are not solely centred on eating and drinking. They offer shuffleboard, ping-pong, beer pong, crazy golf and axe-throwing, to name but a few, and they all have one thing in common: they’re satisfying the experience-hungry consumer.

If this all sounds a million miles away from your current club offer – granted you may want to forget the axe-throwing – then the inclusive game of shuffleboard is an authentic way to broaden your experiential offer and deliver a new revenue stream. As well as helping your club compete with other experiential providers, it will also give your members another reason to visit their club and lengthen their stay, which all adds up to additional income.

Introducing SHUFL… SHUFL is the UK’s dedicated brand of premium shuffleboard, a unique game of skill that shares elements of curling, bowls and petanque. Players slide pucks along the playing surface towards the opposite score zones, with points awarded for accuracy. An inclusive game, shuffleboard brings together young and old, male and female, expert and novice; delivering a memorable social experience.

We partner with a variety of leisure venues, installing tables that feature our unique concave playing surface and sharing our shuffleboard expertise. Our partner support includes staff training, hosting tournaments, POS and help with social media to develop your player community and engage new members.

awareness of the game in-venue. One year later, the results spoke for themselves: game play increased on average 20% month-on-month, generating sizeable additional revenue in food and wet-led sales resulting in a total revenue of £206,731 in the first 12 months. Sister bar The Dockyard, Spinningfields, Manchester quickly followed suit, installing two 18ft SHUFL tables.

SHUFL UK commercial manager, Ben Minter SHUFL tables are made from solid maple wood that is hand-crafted in Texas and offer a lifetime playfield warranty, so we’re confident that they’re the best in the business. Our precision-engineered curve technology adds a new dimension to the game, enhancing the fun for beginners and offering a new challenge for advanced players. It keeps people playing, spending and staying for longer, which is great news for your bottom line.

SHUFL Success In 2017 SHUFL installed two 22ft Grand Champion shuffleboard tables in The Gasworks Brewbar, Manchester, part of the Dockyard Group, one of the early adopters of the game.

The game was unknown in the area, so we worked collaboratively to build up the player community by training Gasworks’ staff to understand the rules of the game, hosted a launch event to introduce the game to customers and supplied point of sale to raise

SHUFL Space Table sizes cater for venues of all shapes and sizes, from 12 footers for the space conscious, right up to 22 footers for the spaced out. Our durable, tournament-grade tables can host up to eight players at a time, generating an electric atmosphere and taking up significantly less square footage than a pool or snooker table.

FURTHER INFORMATION There are a range of commercial offers to suit all requirements and our SHUFL team are on hand to come up with the right solution for your business. For more information visit shufl.co.uk or call +44 333 012 4135

CLUB MIRROR 39

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FUN AND GAMES

Traditional club games Pool and snooker are club stalwarts when it comes to pulling in members. And now we have SHUFFL too (see previous page). Here we revisit some traditional and very compact games.

D

arts is an obvious place to begin any article on traditional club games – although trying to find out how the game originated is something of a rich challenge. One theory is that Henry VIII encouraged his archers to practice all year round. When bad weather hit they took their practice indoors, morphing practice into the much more fun game of darts.

Not a lot of people know that. What you may well know is that the most common dart board, called the ‘London’, has a 20 at the top and an outer ring scoring doubles and the inner ring, trebles. The Yorkshire Doubles Board, however, (also known as the Kent Board) has no inner ring for trebles, no outer bull and the bull itself is significantly smaller.

The Lincoln Board is similar in design to the Yorkshire Board but the board is completely black.

Meanwhile, and not for the short sighted, The Manchester ‘Log End’ Board is solid wood and significantly smaller than the standard board. It has no trebles or colouring and the number arrangement is significantly different.

The Ipswich Board, known as a ‘wide fives’ board is considerably easier to see, being made up of only the numbers 5, 10, 15 and 20. It is normal to play a game of 505 and, due to the wider area, it does allow higher scoring but the ‘oche’ is nine foot away to compensate, rather than the standard seven foot nine and a quarter inches.

Bar Billiards Bar billiards has a background in a number of continental games such as the French Bagatelle and the Russian game Billiards Russe.

It was first imported into the UK in the early 1930s when the Jelkes Company of London were encouraged to produce a table, similar to one seen in Belgium.

The game is most popular in the south and east of the country although the world championships are held in Jersey each year.

Table Skittles The alternate name for this game is ‘Devil among the Tailors’ where a small wooden ball is suspended on a chain from a gallows arrangement and it swings between the 3 x 3 arrangement of skittles. There is a variation to the table skittles game in the Midlands where ‘Hooded Skittles’ is played and it consists of throwing wooden discs called cheeses at skittles in a hooded area similar to a pram hood.

And there’s more…

The following games are very specialised and are often local to a particular area.

Standardised ‘London’ Dart Board

Pitch Penny – Players take turns to throw a coin against a wall (without touching it) and the person closest to the wall wins.

Manchester Log End Board Yorkshire (or Kent) Doubles Board

Toad in the Hole – A speciality around Lewes in Sussex, where brass discs are thrown at a leadcovered table with the aim of them landing in a hole.

Knurr & Spell – A Yorkshire game to launch a ball into the air and hit it with a bat similar to a golf club. coconut shy. This is played mostly in the Thames Valley, and the ‘World Championships’ are held annually at the Charlbury Beer Festival.

Shove Ha’penny Five old halfpennies are slid on a wooden or slate table to end between the lines marked on the board.

The aim of the game is to have had the required number of coins in each bed and scoring takes place with a chalk mark on the side of the board.

Aunt Sally This game originated in the 17th Century. Sticks (similar to a rolling pin) are thrown at a representation of a human head, similar in manner to a

40 CLUB MIRROR

Ringing the Bull – A favourite in the East Midlands it involves swinging a ring held on a string suspended from the ceiling onto a hook on the wall.

Bat and Trap – A Kent game which involves launching a ball in the air to be hit with a bat which is a cross between a table tennis bat and a tennis raquet.

Goblin – This game was a favourite amongst Bristol miners, the aim being to throw pegs into two receptacles.

So there you have it. Game, set and match!

Any we’ve missed out? Let us know at info@clubmirror.com

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BEER MATS

Beer mats –a fascinating history Ever wondered how those small 3” x 3” square pieces of cardboard dotted around the club came about? Possibly not. Yet the humble beer mat has a long and pretty fascinating history, both as a practical item and as an advertising vehicle.

he beer mat as we know it was invented by Robert Sputh in Dresden, Germany in 1892, a wood pulp drip mat (although there had been earlier German mats such as those produced by Freidrich Horn). These mats were made in a mould and left to dry overnight before they could be printed with a single colour image.

The concept did not reach the United Kingdom until around 1920 when Watney, Combe, Reid and Co Ltd produced a mat advertising Watneys Pale Ale and Reid’s Stout being copies of the respective beer labels. These early mats were made of thick embossed cardboard. Later mats, however, moved to full colour thin cardboard with absorptive qualities to mop up spilled beer and make the life of the bar person that little bit easier.

Breweries soon realised that this was a very cheap way of advertising and started to put a lot of thought into their production. They saw them as a means of raising consumer awareness in their products and the advancement of offset printing enabled multiple coloured mats to be produced.

Bass issued a series of mats in the late 1920s to publicise their beers with a small humorous character called “Bill Stickers”, featuring his adventures in applying posters in the most unlikely places to publicise their beers.

As a means of generating interest, brewers started issuing sets of mats and between 1936 and 1938

T

Bass, Ratcliffe & Gretton Ltd and Worthington & Co issued mats with realistic line drawings of their most notable pubs. Drinkers would then look out for mats which they had not previously seen and started to collect mats in their own right. This fashion continued for many years.

Brewers began issuing mats to mark special occasions such as when a beer had won an award, or to tie in their product to historical events such as royal weddings or local festivities.

Other industries soon caught on to the effectiveness of this means of advertising and cigarette companies, soft drinks manufacturers and so on issued their own mats which would vie for space with the brewers’ own designs.

As printing techniques advanced, mats were produced which did not conform to the normal round or square designs and these generated further interest.

Beer mats may not be as prevalent as they once were, but nevertheless around five and a half billion are produced annually worldwide.

These small pieces of art not only mop up spilled beer but are also capable of shouting about important campaigns such as “Don’t drink & drive”, “Stop Smoking” and even encouraging members to check themselves for prostate cancer. So, humble they may be, but not to be underestimated.

Go beer mats!

CLUB MIRROR 41

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THE POWER OF ADVERTISING

Abriefhistoryof

beer advertising Beer is still Britain’s favourite alcoholic beverage by far; we drank 8.5 billion pints last year versus a comparatively meagre 7.4 billion 175ml glasses of wine. Not surprisingly then, beer advertising is big business. But actually, muses Anthony Springall, it always has been.

Manet’s A Bar at the Folies-Bergère.

E

ver since Roman times ,when wayside taverns would hang a bush outside to advertise that they were open for food and drink, there has been advertising of beer.

But it was only in the 19th and early 20th centuries that breweries had grown to such a size that their products would be known outside their immediate area. From that point onwards, the advertising of brands would grow to such an extent that the slogans used would permeate the national consciousness and become catch phrases in their own right.

The brewers of the 18th century were expanding rapidly but were still limited to their distribution caused by poor roads and lack of transport. It was in this period that Dr Samuel Johnson wrote, on the sale of his friend Henry Thrale’s brewery, “We are not here to sell a parcel of boilers and vats, but the potentiality of growing rich beyond the dreams of avarice.” What better advertising than this?

In the 19th century with the coming of the railways and increased literacy, brewers were able to exploit these to the full. Local brewer Simonds of Reading, for example, used the railways to distribute its beers and used its red hop leaf symbol to advertise their wares.

Other large brewers such Allsops, Barclay Perkins and Whitbread started to expand and advertise nationally in newspapers and their adverts became well known.

42 CLUB MIRROR

Bass Brewery and its iconic red triangle logo is particularly worthy of note, later becoming the very first brand name and logo to be registered under the UK’s Trade Mark Registration Act of 1875. So famous was the Bass red triangle that it was used in the painting A Bar at the Folies-Bergère by the impressionist painter Manet.

In the 20th century, brewers used posters, beer mats and pottery to advertise their beers and some of these, such as used by Guinness, became iconic. The

first poster to declare “Guinness is good for you” appeared in 1929, based upon the belief at the time that the beer contained health giving properties. (How many years ago was it that nursing mothers were offered a Guinness on the NHS ?). The posters of John Gilroy from 1930 to the middle 1960s created an advertising campaign that is remembered almost 80 years later, showing examples of strong men in the early years developing into surreal situations with a zoo keeper and various animals.

THE POWER OF ADVERTISING – IT’S QUIZ TIME! See how many of these you can remember (and yes you can confer!)

1.

What beer claimed to “work wonders”?

2.

What was “probably the best beer in the world”?

3.

Which brand had the catchphrase “Gertcha”?

4.

Which beer was described as “Amber Nectar”?

5.

Australians wouldn’t give a XXXX for what ?

6.

Which brand had you “following the bear”?

7.

“Good things come to those that wait” advertised what ?

8.

Which beer “refreshes the parts other beers cannot reach”?

9.

Which brew was being advertised with “I am only here for the beer”?

10. Which beer was “reassuringly expensive”?

11. “I bet he drinks” what beer ?

12. Which beer was the “Cream of Manchester”?

13. Name the beer “Its what your right arms for”?

14. Which beer was “The pint that thinks its a quart”?

15. Which brewer encouraged you to “Roll out the barrel”?

During this heyday of beer advertising, all manner of claims were made by real and imaginary characters, all putting over the message that you should drink their particular brand.

Now, the advent of Social Media has meant that brewers have had to change the way they advertise.

They must now ‘target’ advertise rather than use the blanket approach of old. So will we ever see the same level of catch phrases ring in our collective ears? I wonder. In the meantime, I’m off to follow the bear, and maybe roll out a barrel or two!

16. Which beer stayed “sharp to the bottom of the glass” ?

And the answers are…

9. Double Diamond (again) 10. Stella Artois 11 .Carling Black Label 12. Boddingtons 13. Courage Tavern 14. Whitbread Trophy 15. Watneys Red Barrel 16. Harp Lager

Hofmeister’s Follow The Bear campaign

1. Double Diamond 2. Carlsberg 3. Courage Best 4. Fosters Lager 5. Castlemain 6. Hofmeister 7. Guinness 8. Heineken

Perhaps surprisingly, it was the copywriter Dorothy L Sayers (better known as a prolific author of detective novels) that changed a pelican into a toucan to create a character that can still be found in pubs and clubs across the land.

It was the advent of television - and particularly commercial television in 1955 - that really upped the stakes in brewery advertising. Brewers could now create adverts that could appeal to their target market with characters specifically chosen. The first really big TV campaign in the mid 1960s was for Mackeson fronted by Bernard Miles who declared, “It looks good, tastes good and by golly it does you good”. At the time it was Whitbread’s biggest selling beer.

Although now a “ghost brand” with no advertising or promotion, it’s still in production at 2.8% abv.

Other brewers quickly caught on to the power of advertising, and from the 60s to the 90s large advertising agencies such Saatchi & Saatchi would try to invent slogans to ensure their clients’ sales increased, with such offerings as “refreshes the parts other beers cannot reach” and “reassuringly expensive”, both of which were the brainchild of Anthony Simonds-Gooding.

CLUB MIRROR 43

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COOPERING

The (almost) lost art of coopering The cooper making a beer cask is a traditional image used many a time on beer advertising. In reality they are an endangered species with their number having reduced from thousands in their 19th Century heyday to a mere handful now. One brewerY which continues this proud tradition, however, is Theakston Brewery, Masham, having employed coopers since the founding of the company back in 1827.

A

beer cask is an enormously complex item being made up of oak staves, each one cut by hand using the skilled eye of the cooper to ensure that each barrel is beer tight and can take the pressure of the beer during its second fermentation in the cask. The timber used is oak whose grain and character ensure that beer remains in perfect condition with no chance of spoilage on its journey from brewery to glass.

The cooper will first examine individual timber staves to ensure that they are not cracked and that they will bend easily. He will then work each stave with a draw knife or axe to hollow out the shape then use a jointer to put the appropriate angle on the edge for the cask being made.

When sufficient staves have been made he will use a raising up hoop to put the staves in order then puts a truss hoop on to tighten things up. Further hoops are added and the cask is then placed over a fire to warm the wood and make it more pliable.

Speed is of the essence as the cask is turned and further hoops are hammered on to give it the characteristic shape.

The end of each cask is then chamfered to take the cask end (or head) which is made up of carefully chosen boards which fits into a carefully cut groove on the inside of the cask. He fits the head by slackening the hoops and forcing it into the groove. He will then pull the remaining head into position. The outside of the cask is then finished and the appropriate bunghole will be bored into the middle of a stave.

There are very few breweries still using wooden casks although some would say that beer tastes better from the wood. The aluminium or plastic cask can be sterilized much easier and for breweries where there may not be the skills at hand this is a critical benefit.

The future of this once common craft is safe so long as there are breweries that believe it is important to retain traditional skills and that a centuries old process should not be lost forever.

Jonathan Manby, Cooper at Theakston Brewery, joined the brewery as an apprentice craft cooper at the age of 17.

Using a draw knife on the interior.

Shaping individual staves.

CLUB MIRROR 45

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CLUB KITCHEN

Crabbie’s – spicing it up It’s amazing just what menu magic you can create when you work with old friends at the bar. The following recipes - three starters, mains and desserts - come with compliments from Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer.

STARTERS FOR 10

Haggis Bon Bon with Ginger Beer & Beetroot

Haggis Bon Bon with Ginger Beer & Beetroot Ingredients • 200g good quality haggis • 50g panko bread crumbs • 1 pk cooked beetroot • 100 ml Crabbie’s Original alcoholic ginger beer • 2 tbsp Apple sauce • 1 egg beaten • 50g plain flour Method • Pre heat oven 180°C/Gas 5.

• Chop up haggis and mash whilst raw shape into 12 small bon bon shapes.

• Roll into flour then coat in beaten egg then roll in the breadcrumbs until coated.

• Spray an oven tray lightly with oil and place bon bons on pop in oven for 15-20min until golden brown.

• Meanwhile chop beetroot and put in a blender add the Crabbie’s until a soft puree season with salt & pepper to taste.

• When serving add a teaspoon of apple sauce just to secure the bon bon on the plate and serve the beetroot puree at the side. You can also serve with a side salad.

Method • Pre-heat oven to 180°C/Gas 4.

• Mix together all the marinade ingredients.

• Put the chicken wings into a large roasting tray and pour the marinade over. Toss the wings in the marinade making sure they are all evenly coated.

• Bake in the oven for 15 mins and then baste the marinade in the roasting tray over the wings again and cook for a further 20 mins.

Ginger & Honey Chicken Wings Ingredients • Chicken wings • 3 spring onions – finely chopped • 12⁄ red chilli – de-seeded & finely chopped • 4tbsp runny honey • 2 tbsp soy sauce • 50ml Crabbie’s Ginger Beer • 2cm piece fresh root ginger – peeled and grated • 5 sprigs fresh thyme – remove stalks & chop leaves

Prawns Skewers and Garlic Mayo Ingredients For the prawns: • 20 large shelled prawns • 5 wooden skewers (soaked in water) • 300ml soy sauce • 200ml Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer • 2 shallots • 1 chilli • 50g fresh basil

Prawns Skewers and Garlic Mayo For the mayonnaise: • 200g mayonnaise • 20g garlic puree Method • Skewer four prawns with wooden skewers, set aside.

• In a bowl mix the Kecap manis with the Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer, chop the shallots and chilli add to the mix, transfer to a tray.

• Place the prawns in the marinade, leave for about 20 min.

• Mix the mayo and garlic, place in a ramekin.

• Cook the prawns on the BBQ (or equivalent) for about 2 min each side.

• Chop the basil up place on top on the BBQ prawns add the garlic mayo.

MAIN COURSES

Ginger & Honey Chicken Wings

46 CLUB MIRROR

Venison Loin with Hawthorn Jelly Ingredients • 4 x 200g Venison Loin (You can substitute the venison for Beef fillet) • 4tbsp Hawthorn jelly (Redcurrant if you can’t find the Hawthorn) • 1 Knorr beef stock pot

Ginger BBQ Pulled Pork Burger

Venison Loin with Hawthorn Jelly

• • • • • • •

100ml Crabbie’s Original alcoholic ginger beer ⁄ red cabbage finely sliced 2 slices of black pudding 1 pink lady apple finely sliced 1 tsp stem ginger chopped very finely 1 tsp butter 1 sprig of fresh thyme

Battered Fish & Chips

1 2

Method • Sear in a hot pan the 4 pieces of meat season well & place in oven at 200°C/Gas 6 for 8-12 mins depending how pink you like your meat (Venison can get quite dry if cooked well done so try not to go past Medium well, in order to keep the dish moist.

• Bake the black pudding slices for in the venison pan for only five minutes then remove.

• Add 4 tbsp of Crabbie’s to a pot bring to the boil then add the tsp of butter add the red cabbage and cook just until the liquid has gone.

• Crumble the black pudding into a bowl and mix with the apple and stem ginger.

• Once the cabbage has no liquid tip into the bowl with the black pudding & apple.

• Once meat comes out of the oven set aside on a plate and make the sauce in the pan you cooked the meat in remember the handle is HOT!!

• Put the pan onto the heat and add left over Crabbie’s whilst pan is really hot, this de glazes the pan and gets all the flavour and bits of meat off the bottom then add the stock pot jelly with 150ml boiling water bring to the boil adding in a sprig of thyme just until its up to the boil allow to reduce slightly to the consistency of a sauce.

• Spoon a pile of the red cabbage warm salad onto the plate slice the venison and pour sauce over.

Battered Fish & Chips Ingredients For the fish: • 300g cod fillets • 300ml Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer • 250g flour • 3 tbs baking powder • 1kg chipping potatoes, cut into chips For the tartar sauce: • 200 ml mayonnaise • 2 shallots • 3 tbs capers

• 3 tbs cornichons • 1 lime • 150ml Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer Method • Preheat the fryer to 140°C, blanch the chips for 10 mins set aside.

• For the tartar sauce, reduce the Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer by two-thirds, set aside to cool, place the mayo, capers, cornichons, shallots, reduced Crabbie’s and the juice of lime in a food processor. Pulse three times for 10 seconds a time set aside.

• Put the fryer up to 190°C. • For the batter put the flour in a bowl, start to add the Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer while whisking the mix until it is thick enough to coat a spoon.

Last minute whisk in the baking power to make a lighter batter.

• Coat the cod in the batter then slowly put into the fryer for 4 minutes, as soon as the fish comes out put the chips down again.

Ginger BBQ Pulled Pork Burger Ingredients • 2.5kg shoulder of pork • 4 tbsp tomato ketchup • 1 medium onion - finely chopped • 100ml Crabbie’s Original Ginger Beer • 2-3 tbsp runny honey • 2-3 tbsp tomato puree • 1 tbsp smoked paprika • 1-2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce • 12⁄ tsp salt • 12⁄ tsp cracked black pepper • 12⁄ tsp chilli powder • 12⁄ tsp garlic powder • 12⁄ tsp cayenne pepper • TO SERVE – Brioche rolls, coleslaw, BBQ sauce

Method • Pre – heat oven to 150°C/Gas 2.

• Mix together all the marinade ingredients and then spread all over the pork shoulder. Put in a roasting tray and loosely wrap with foil then chill in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

• Bake in the oven still wrapped in foil for 4 hours then remove the foil and cook for a further hour until brown and almost falling apart.

• Leave to cool for 10-15 mins then using 2 forks shred the meat.

• Serve on Brioche rolls with coleslaw and BBQ sauce.

AND FINALLY - DESSERTS Dark & Stormy Pudding Ingredients • 100g unsalted butter • 140g soft brown sugar • 2 large eggs - whisked • 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger • 2 tbsp dark rum • 175g Self Raising flour • 1 tsp Bicarbonate soda • 100ml Crabbie’s ginger beer • 200g chopped dried dates For the toffee sauce: • 175g light brown soft sugar • 1-2 tbsp Crabbie’s Ginger Beer • 225ml Double cream • 50g unsalted butter Method • Pre – heat oven to 180°C/Gas 4.

• Grease and lightly flour 4 individual ovenproof pudding dishes.

• Beat together the butter and the sugar in a bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs a little at a time and then mix in the ginger and rum.

• Add the flour and bicarbonate of soda a little at a time and mix in well. Add the Crabbie’s and the dates and mix well.

• Spoon the mixture evenly between your dishes being careful not to fill them right to the top or they will cook over the top of your dishes.

• Cook in the pre heated oven for 25- 30 mins until golden brown and firm to touch.

• To make the sauce put the sugar and butter in a saucepan with 125ml of the double cream and the Crabbie’s ginger beer. Bring to the boil over a

CLUB MIRROR 47

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CLUB KITCHEN Dark & Stormy Pudding

medium heat stirring all the time until the sugar has dissolved.

• Take the pan off the heat and add the rest of the cream beating until it thickens.

• Loosen the puddings with a knife from the dishes and turn upside down on your serving plates.

Pour over the sauce and serve.

Ginger Roulade Ingredients Cake ingredients: • 6 eggs • 175g caster sugar • 175g self raising flour • 2 tsp ground ginger • 2 tsp five-spice Roulade filling: • 200g cream cheese • 100 ml Crabbie’s Original Alcoholic Ginger Beer OR Crabbie’s Scottish Raspberry Ginger Beer • Stem Ginger, finely chopped Method • Heat the oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/Gas 6. Line a 27 x 40 cm Swiss roll tin with non-stick baking parchment.

• Whisk the eggs and sugar together until they are light and fluffy – this can take about 5 minutes, so keep going until they are really light.

• Fold in the flour and spices.

• Spoon the mix into the tin and then level the surface before baking for 12-15 minutes until pale

but cooked and springy in the middle.

• Leave the cake to cool a little, then turn onto a sheet of non-stick baking parchment dusted with sugar.

• Roll up like a swiss roll, keeping the parchment sandwiched between the cake layers, and cool.

• Mix the cream cheese with the stem ginger and Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer.

• When the sponge is completely cool, unroll it carefully and spread with the cream cheese mix, then roll up like a swiss roll again, this time without the parchment in between.

• Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Simnel Cake Ingredients For the cake: • 250g butter • 250g brown sugar • 5 eggs • 100ml Crabbie’s Raspberry Alcoholic Ginger Beer • 250g self raising flour • 200g sultanas • 100g currants • 100g dried cherries • 2 oranges (zest) • 2 tsp mixed spice • 700g marzipan • 100g raspberries For the candied nuts: • 150g whole almonds • 150g sugar Ginger Roulade

48 CLUB MIRROR

Method For the cake: • Pre-heat oven 150°C/Gas 3.

• Cream the butter & sugar together in a mixer then add the eggs one by one, then pour in the Crabbie’s.

• Sieve the flour and mixed spice into the bowl and fold in. Add the currants, cherries and sultanas • Place half of the mix into a 10” cake tin.

• Roll out about 200g of marzipan to 10” and place on top of the mix. Put the other half of the mix into the tin, cover in tin foil and put in the oven to bake for 3 hours.

• Transfer to a cooling rack, let cool for 1 hour.

• Roll out another 10” marzipan ring and place on top.

• Make 11 balls of marzipan at 20g each by rolling in the palm of your hands. Place round the edges of the cake evenly spread and put under the grill until the marzipan goes golden brown.

For the candied nuts: • Put the sugar in a heavy based sauce pan with a splash of water and bring to 121° then add the nuts stirring constantly with a wooden spoon until the sugar has cooled and nuts are coated.

• Place one candied nut on top of each marzipan ball and position raspberries in between each marzipan ball.

Simnel Cake

The story of Crabbie’s began in Edinburgh in 1801 when John Crabbie was born into a thriving grocery and spirit merchant family business. The nearby port of Leith provided John with access to ingredients from all over the world, and in the Far East he sourced and shipped his ginger which was then steeped for six weeks before being combined with four other closely guarded ingredients to produce Crabbie’s Alcoholic Ginger Beer It was in the Far East that he fell in love with the hard-working elephants, an integral part of the venture, and since then, Crabbie’s has been proud to wear the elephant on every bottle neck as the Trade Mark in their honour. It has has also partnered with the Millennium Elephant Foundation in Sri Lanka to protect these endangered giants, contributing towards the cost of food, medical bills and the keepers’ (mahouts’) salaries.

• www.crabbiesgingerbeer.com

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ASK THE EXPERTS

Club Insure announces £5.5 million partnership with Prostate Cancer UK Prostate Cancer UK works tirelessly to raise awareness and funds to help diagnose and treat prostate cancer. The disease is now the most commonly diagnosed cancer in the UK, yet still many people are unaware of the symptoms and risk factors. Club Insure’s Oliver Calvert explains.

P

rostate cancer is particularly prevalent amongst men over 50, though it has been found in men much younger. The cause of the cancer is yet to be discovered, and the diagnosis procedure alone can be problematic. Prostate Cancer UK works to raise vital funds to improve research into prostate cancer, while also providing expert advice and support to those who need it.

Club Insure’s Associate Director, Lloyd Pinder, was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 2016, and since then he has been determined to raise as much money for Prostate Cancer UK as possible.

The Club Insure team are helping Lloyd in his mission to raise awareness of prostate cancer, which is responsible for over 11,500 deaths each year. The campaign aims to make sure that men like Lloyd have as much time with their families as possible.

So we’ve pledged to donate £5 per policy sold or renewed, raising £75,000 as part of a three-year partnership agreement with Prostate Cancer UK. We’re also aiming to raise a total of £5.5 million through fundraising activities – and we’d love clubs like yours to take part too.

Awareness talks, workshops and seminars are effective ways to share information about prostate cancer, raising awareness of the disease and ensuring people know the symptoms to look out for. A range of supporting printed material and fundraising advice is available from Prostate Cancer UK for clubs wishing to get involved.

By raising awareness amongst club members, we estimate our campaign will reach 1.75 million people over just three years. This will hopefully make a huge difference, and possibly even save lives.

“

Club Insure’s Associate Director, Lloyd Pinder, was diagnosed with advanced prostate cancer in 2016. Since then he’s been determined to raise as much money for Prostate Cancer UK as possible.

We’ve pledged to donate £5 per policy sold or renewed, raising £75,000 as part of a three-year partnership agreement with Prostate Cancer UK. We’re also aiming to raise a total of £5.5 million through fundraising activities – and we’d love clubs like yours to take part too.

We’re dedicated to our people, be they our clients or colleagues, and not only do we want to give your club access to better cover at a competitive price, we also want to give you the knowledge that you’re giving back to an important cause, and something affecting millions of men across the UK.

MORE INFORMATION To get involved or find out more about Club Insure and our partnership, contact the team by visiting club-insure.co.uk, or calling 0344 488 9204.

CLUB MIRROR 49

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2020 HOSPITALITY SOCIAL MEDIA AWARDS

OPEN FOR ENTRIES

Enter the 2020 Awards

email info@hsma.biz

REGISTRATION HOTLINE 01753 272022

ASK THE EXPERTS – COST SAVING

UK operators save 100 million pints of waste water British club, pub and bar operators have saved over 100 million pints of water and 360 tonnes of CO2 with SmartDispenseTM over a six year period, says Heineken UK. The reduction in waste is an estimated annual cost saving of £819 per outlet.

O

perators have fresh reasons to celebrate as, collectively, they have helped save over 100 million pints of water and 360 tonnes of keg CO2 over the past six years, thanks to the installation of the innovative SmartDispenseTM system. These waste savings will see licensees make an estimated cost saving of £819 per year on water and CO2 alone.

Energy bills are a sizeable outgoing for licensed premises, so identifying savings can be hugely beneficial. The pioneering SmartDispenseTM system was the first draught dispense to only use energysaving green cooling technology to chill beer and cider efficiently towards 0°C. Partnered with extremely well insulated lines – known as pythons that deliver 20% less energy loss from keg coupler to tap – helps clubs to chill and serve great quality pints in a more sustainable way than ever before.

SmartDispense’sTM unique cooling and insulation system has revolutionised the way draught beer and cider is stored and served in pubs and bars across the UK, keeping it cold, fresh and away from

light. Extending line cleaning to four-, eight-, or even twelve-weekly cycles, as opposed to the 7-day line-clean in standard systems, saves on time as well as reducing water, dispense gas, beer and cider wastage by 87.5%.

Premises which have contributed to these savings can now communicate their green credentials via the Green Pint scheme – an in-club and digital campaign, created to educate and inspire consumers to make conscious choices about the pints they drink. Consumers are becoming increasingly environmentally aware, with 65% of Brits saying they are trying to live more ethically, and around half (48%) saying they are loyal to companies whose ethics align with their own, rising to 56% of under25s.

Alan Nelson, of Newton Aycliffe Working Men’s Club has noticed a significant improvement in pint quality: “Complaints around the quality of our pints used to be a daily issue. So, we decided to completely change our offering and install SmartDispenseTM. Members now comment on the

quality, and we’ve seen a 50% sales increase in the past two years.”

Phil Gray, SmartDispenseTM sales director for HEINEKEN UK explains; “At HEINEKEN, we know we’ve got an important role. We’re in a unique position to make positive changes throughout the whole supply chain. SmartDispenseTM not only saves you time and effort (by removing the need for a weekly line clean), it also reduces your water and CO2 usage. These savings, coupled with colder, more consistent and quality pints leads to happier and more loyal customers, helping you sell more pints.”

In 2018, HEINEKEN launched The Greenpaper, its largest piece of category research ever undertaken. The research indicated that the desire to ‘Live Better’ is worth an incremental £58M over three years, with consumers looking to reduce their impact on the environment.

• www.smartdispense.heineken.co.uk

CLUB MIRROR 51

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ASK THE EXPERTS – KEEPING IT FRESH

What gives a website an outdated look?

A key trigger for clients heading to Studio44 for advice is when they feel that the look and feel of their website has become outdated. Here, the company’s Doug Rubashow discusses examples that may point to the need for a redesign.

I

s your website visually outdated? An outdated website can completely devalue your club, leading to a loss of enquiries and therefore revenue and membership opportunities.

Cluttered look and feel The modern trend with website design is to allow your content space to breathe – the days of trying to include too much on a single page of a website are long gone.

‘Above the fold’ This is somewhat linked to the previous point about a cluttered look and feel, but ‘above the fold’ is a term that is becoming less and less relevant in website design. Above the fold refers to anything that is immediately visible on a website and therefore doesn’t require scrolling. It used to be the case that as much as possible was above the fold as the theory was a visitor was most likely to action anything they saw straight away. But - particularly with the advent of smart phones and scrolling becoming more and more familiar with website visitors - keeping everything above the fold is now becoming and outdated technique and actually leads to a cluttered look and feel which, as discussed earlier, is no longer a popular design trend.

52 CLUB MIRROR

Design that isn’t full width The days of a fixed width website are also gone.

Internet users will access websites on such a myriad of screen sizes that if you don’t have a full width design that maximises the use of the space, you’re really missing a trick. A fixed width design often leads to a messy, cluttered appearance whereas a full width design gives your content room to breathe and is therefore much more aesthetically pleasing for a user.

Poor performance on mobile An optimal performance on mobile for a modern website is absolutely essential. If your website doesn’t look great on a mobile device then it’s definitely time for a change. Every website we now design and build carefully considers the mobile performance. And it’s not just for users, Google much prefers a website that’s optimised for mobile. So if your website is either responsive and not up to scratch, or not responsive at all, that’s a clear sign of an outdated look.

Text heavy Modern design trends, for a good few years now have dictated that visual websites with large images are the way forward. Traditionally, many websites incorporated lots and lots of text, partly because it was felt this was the best way to rank in search engines. Since then,

search engines have got more sophisticated with how they index websites. Website technology has become more sophisticated too, which has enabled designers to create a more minimalistic look and feel which is pleasing to the user.

Some text heavy websites still exist though, and there are clever ways such as expandable boxes which help retain a minimalistic look for sites with a lot of text. If too much text is visible straight away on your website, it’s definitely time for a visual refresh.

So what’s next?

There’s more to a website than the look and feel, but investing in a quality design is important and with a website being the first port of call for anyone checking out a product or service, having an outdated website is not an option. So in short, start planning for a new website sooner rather than later if you think your website falls into any of the above categories, and please do get in touch if you’d like to talk through ideas and options in more detail.

CONTACT DETAILS For advice and more information visit www.studio44.agency or call them on 01892 888 011.

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HOSPITALITY SOCIAL MEDIA AWARDS

Hospitality Social Media Awards Calling all clubs! Are you a tweeter? Or a Facebook fanatic? Have you been using social media to build club business? Are you using it now to help your members with the current Covid-19 pandemic? Then step into the spotlight and take a bow with the Hospitality Social Media Awards 2020.

he Hospitality Social Media Awards (HoSMA) are the only pan- industry awards designed to celebrate licensed outlets of all types and sizes who are using social media to build their business.

Clubs of all shapes, types and sizes, along with colleagues from across the Hospitality spectrum, are invited to enter these exciting awards.

Want a sense of the event? If you couldn’t be there last year then head over to www.facebook.com/HSMAwards for a flavour of what’s in store. To see 2019’s finalists then it’s www.hsma.biz/news. And don’t forget our twitter handle –

T

54 CLUB MIRROR

twitter.com/HSMAwards.

What are they again? Just to recap! The Hospitality Social Media Awards celebrate how social media is helping clubs and the UK hospitality sector as a whole to build their business.

Last year saw hundreds of entries from all forms of hospitality imaginable - from social clubs and football clubs to rugby clubs and sports clubs and from pubs and bars, to hotels and restaurants.

So whatever your club, whether you’re a prolific tweeter or a facebook aficionado, we’re waiting for your entry.

See opposite page for how to enter. Good luck!

2019 winners

Club Insure’s Jason Cook (left) presents Leicestershire County Cricket Club with the opening category of the 2019 Hospitality Social Media Awards, Sports Club of the Year.

Golf Club of the Year goes to the impressive Formby Golf Club, presented by Bob Williams (centre), Chief Executive of the Golf Club Managers Association.

BT Sport’s Ed Cracknell (centre) presents worthy winners South Shields FC with the 2019 Football Club of the Year trophy.

Canterbury Rugby Club’s Ian Lloyd (right) collects the Rugby Club of the Year trophy from Club Control’s Chris McNally.

HOW TO ENTER

Dransfields’ Trevor Roberts (left) congratulates Northern FC on becoming joint winner of the 2019 Community Club of the Year Award.

To enter online – visit www.hsma.biz/enter or use this QR code.

Alternatively – email info@hsma.biz with your details and we’ll send you a self-entry form.

Wortley Men’s Club celebrate their joint win of Community Club of the Year, collecting their trophy from Trevor Roberts, Dransfields (centre).

CLUB MIRROR 55

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CLUB HOUSE Awards

CLUBHOUSE AWARDS

’20

Golf Awards 2020 tee off Calling all golf clubs! The Clubhouse Awards were launched in 2006 to applaud excellence in golf clubs and resorts across the UK. Now they’re bigger and better than ever before and open for entries.

T

he Clubhouse Awards 2020 are open for business. From owners and club managers to business development teams and membership managers, these unique Awards underline the significant role that the golf clubs are playing in the UK as well as further afield in Europe.

From the big hitters to smaller, communityfocussed clubs, the Awards are much prized and this year now include International Categories.

THE CATEGORIES • Innovative Club of the Year • Youth Initiative of the Year • Most Welcoming Club of the Year • Community Club of the Year • Mental Health Awareness - Recognition Award • Marketing Initiative of the Year • Green Club of the Year • Catering Club of the Year • Refurbishment of the Year • Marketing Initiative of the Year • Social Media Club of the Year • Website of the Year • Supplier of the Year Award • Manager/Secretary of the Year • Steward of the Year • Golf Group of the Year • Clubhouse of the Year • International Venue of the Year • International Clubhouse of the Year • International Social Media Club of the Year • International Website of the Year • Readers’ Club of the Year UK • Readers’ Club of the Year International • To nominate a club or to enter your own, see the opposite page.

56 CLUB MIRROR

HOW TO ENTER Please tick preferred option

n I would like one of the Clubhouse Awards judges to contact me to discuss the club. OR n Please email me a self-entry form.

Email: ____________________________________________________________ Categories - Please tick as many/few boxes as you wish.

The judges may also enter you in categories which they believe you excel in.

n Innovative Club of the Year n Youth Initiative of the Year n Most Welcoming Club of the Year n Community Club of the Year n Mental Health Awareness - Recognition Award n Marketing Initiative of the Year n Green Club of the Year n Catering Club of the Year n Refurbishment of the Year n Marketing Initiative of the Year n Social Media Club of the Year n Website of the Year

n Supplier of the Year Award n Manager/Secretary of the Year n Steward of the Year n Golf Group of the Year n Clubhouse of the Year n International Venue of the Year n International Clubhouse of the Year n International Social Media Club of the Year n International Website of the Year n Readers’ Club of the Year UK n Readers’ Club of the Year International

Name:

____________________________________________________________

Job title:

____________________________________________________________

Club:

____________________________________________________________

Address:

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Tel:

____________________________________________________________

Email:

____________________________________________________________

DEADLINE – 30 June, 2020 CONTACT THE CLUBHOUSE AWARDS TEAM: Fill in this form and post to: Clubhouse Awards, Alchemy Contract Publishing, 59-60 Thames Street, Windsor SL4 1TX

BY EMAIL: Email your details to info@clubmirror.com and we’ll get in touch

BY PHONE: Just call in your club details to 01753 272022

BY POST:

CLUB MIRROR 57

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CLUB ACT OF THE YEAR

Singing their praises – club acts take a bow!

Club Mirror continues to search for the best club acts in the country and we’re asking for your help. Just nominate your favourite acts and you could be on your way to winning £500. Time to take a bow.

D

oubling up as a nation-wide membership drive for when normality returns, the Club Act of the Year is set to become a showcase for club entertainment across the UK. This new award aims to raise the profile of clubs and their live entertainment throughout the UK, and to provide a platform for acts who have been thriving on the club scene.

Have a look at your entertainments schedule and tell us who you’d like to shine a spotlight on.

Which comedians did members flock to see last year? Which bands always got an encore? And which singers consistently drew in the crowds?

From comedy acts to, bands, duos and soloists, we’ll be announcing finalists by category and then category winners. Finally comes the ultimate accolade - Club Act of the Year. The winning act will perform live at the prestigious Club Mirror Awards (date to be announced) and the nominating club will be invited to attend. The club will also receive £500.

How to nominate your favourite acts Just complete the form opposite OR email us with the relevant details. We’ll do the rest. So let’s get this party started! Good luck!

58 CLUB MIRROR

“

Doubling up as a UK-wide membership drive, the Club Act of the Year is set to become a showcase for clubs and club entertainment across the country.

”

CLUB ACT OF THE YEAR NOMINATIONS To nominate your act/acts: Complete this coupon and post to the address below. Better still, email the details to caroline@clubmirror.com using the subject line ‘Club Act nominations’.

I would like to nominate the following act/acts.

Please include contact details of the acts. This could be their email address, facebook page, web address or agent. We will advise them of your nomination.

Deadline for nominations: 30 July, 2020 1. __________________________________________________________ Act contact details: _____________________________________________ 2. _________________________________________________________ Act contact details: _____________________________________________ 3. _________________________________________________________

“

Act contact details: _____________________________________________

Your Name: __________________________________________________

Nominate your favourite acts and you could be on your way to winning £500 for the club.

Club:

__________________________________________________

Address:

__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________

Email:

__________________________________________________

Mob/Tel:

__________________________________________________

Fill in this form and send to: Club Act of the Year, Alchemy Contract Publishing, 59-60 Thames Street, Windsor SL4 1TX.

CLUB MIRROR 59

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CIU BEER & TRADES EXHIBITORS SHOWCASE

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62 CLUB MIRROR

CIU BEER & TRADES EXHIBITORS SHOWCASE

INSURANCE ARRANGED BY Aon

â&#x20AC;&#x201C; MEET THE TEAM Christine Cary Client Director | Aon Clubs m: +44 (0)7393 792 121 christine.cary@aon.co.uk Christine Cary

Suzanne Burrows Team Manager | Aon Clubs m +44 (0)7714 180 553 suzanne.kenney@aon.co.uk Suzanne Burrows

Andy Kitchener Regional Manager | Aon Clubs m: +44 (0)7714 180 551 andrew.kitchener@aon.co.uk aon.co.uk/ciu

Andy Kitchener

CLUB MIRROR 63

CLASSIFIED

CLUB SERVICES MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS

BEHIND THE BAR

INSURANCE

ENTERTAINMENT

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64 CLUB MIRROR

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07789 870709 ENERGY

The curtain specialist for clubs, schools & theatres

ARE YOU SWITCHED ON WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR ENERGY BILLS? If you’re not switching, you’re not saving...

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Stage Curtains

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Track Repairs & Servicing

For more information, contact us today and quote CLUB to arrange a free site visit to discuss your requirements.

Tel: 01354 677796 • Email: sales@cameocurtains.co.uk

Visit our website: www.cameocurtains.co.uk

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Get in touch with an energy expert today on:

01444 220060

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CLUB MIRROR 65

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CLUB SERVICES REFURBISHMENT

66 CLUB MIRROR

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